Caregiving can be rewarding in many ways as it allows you to be there for and provide for a loved one who really needs you. However, providing long term care to stroke patients can be incredibly challenging and over time, this takes a toll on your personal health. If you feel overwhelmed and burned out, remember that you’re not alone and that this is something natural. It is not something that you should feel guilty about. Evidence from several studies show that stroke caregivers have high levels of stress and depression, right from the time that a loved one suffers a stroke. While your focus is on providing the best care possible to the stroke patient, it’s important to remember that this is not sustainable if you aren’t in your best health yourself.
Most caregivers, especially family caregivers, experience feelings of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. This is described as caregiver burnout and poses a serious threat to your physical and mental health, making you more vulnerable to health conditions such as depression, insomnia, anxiety disorders, diabetes, and heart disease.
A study that appeared in the journal Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine suggests that this burden tends to be higher in informal caregivers who have a closer or more intimate relationship with the stroke survivor, especially when they have to shoulder much of this responsibility alone or with little support from others, and when the extent of disability in the patient is severe, requiring longer duration of caregiving each day. This adversely impacts the health and financial wellbeing of caregivers, making it harder for them to provide quality care to stroke patients.
Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to stay healthy and avoid or cope with caregiver burnout when caring for a stroke patient.
Make Time For Yourself
This is the most important step towards selfcare as a caregiver because without making time for yourself you cannot engage in any activity that is essential to preserving and promoting your health.
Get Active
Physical activity for health requires some amount of regular moderate to high intensity physical exercise. Household chores that are part of caregiving cannot be construed as activity. Exercise is essential for managing stress, weight, blood pressure, and heart health. Activities like walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming will also suffice to get started.
Eat Healthy
Eating healthy means eating clean. Focus on whole foods, rather than processed foods to ensure maximum nutrition with minimum calories. Simply making this shift in dietary choices will help to lower the risk of most lifestyle diseases.
Take A Break
Making time for yourself, isn’t solely about selfcare in the context of exercise or eating healthy. Breaks are also essential to relax, get out of the regular routine, and enjoy activities that bring you pleasure, whether going to visit friends, dancing, or pursuing any hobby.
Stay Social
Connect with others beyond digital screens. Social isolation is a serious risk for caregivers and it’s important that you step out to connect with family and friends. When you can’t get out, make sure to at least talk to others over the phone.
Seek Help
Whether it’s help with caregiving responsibilities or help for yourself, it’s important that you reach out. Support networks, whether with friends, family, support groups, or therapists, can help to cope with the challenges of caregiving, making it easier to care for yourself.
Go For Regular Health Checks
Don’t miss or skip any medical appointments, whether with your family doctor, dentist, or ophthalmologist. Ignoring or overlooking minor changes in your health can lead to the development of major illnesses that will make it impossible to care for your loved one.
In addition to these basic steps to maintain your health when caring for a stroke patient, it’s important that you continue to enjoy a life of your own. This may be hard to imagine, but it’s not impossible. Recognize the warning signs of stress and depression and make it a point to seek professional help for yourself before such problems become chronic and harder to deal with. You should also discuss caregiving strategies with your loved one’s stroke rehabilitation team as they will be the best source of information and advice on coping with life as a caregiver.
