When Caregiving Becomes Overwhelming

Being an at-home caregiver for an aging loved one creates special moments and opportunities to bond with them in new and profound ways. But caregiving is also a tremendous responsibility often accompanied by hard-to-process feelings like grief, resentment and guilt.

Every caregiver needs support from time to time, but when it becomes overwhelming, it can be difficult to identify when and how to seek out the help you need. If the role is becoming difficult to maintain, you may find yourself ruminating over questions like:

_{Source: AARP and The National Alliance for Caregiving}

Being an at-home caregiver for an aging loved one creates special moments and opportunities to bond with them in new and profound ways. But caregiving is also a tremendous responsibility often accompanied by hard-to-process feelings like grief, resentment and guilt.

Every caregiver needs support from time to time, but when it becomes overwhelming, it can be difficult to identify when and how to seek out the help you need. If the role is becoming difficult to maintain, you may find yourself ruminating over questions like:

_{Source: AARP and The National Alliance for Caregiving}

Identifying Burnout

Whether it’s scheduling appointments, paying bills, planning activities, or managing personal care and medications, being a caregiver can feel like a full-time job. It can also come at a cost to your mental and emotional health, and over time it can lead to burnout.

This article outlines 10 common signs of caregiver burnout, along with tips to help manage and prevent it.

Spot the Signs

_{Source: AARP and The National Alliance for Caregiving}

Identifying Burnout

Whether it’s scheduling appointments, paying bills, planning activities, or managing personal care and medications, being a caregiver can feel like a full-time job. It can also come at a cost to your mental and emotional health, and over time it can lead to burnout.

This article outlines 10 common signs of caregiver burnout, along with tips to help manage and prevent it.

Spot the Signs

_{Source: AARP and The National Alliance for Caregiving}

Having the Hard Conversations

As a current or potential caregiver, you may recognize that you and your loved one need a different solution, but you just aren’t sure how to talk about it. Maybe your aging parents live in a different state, or you can’t provide the level of care they need between working full-time and raising children.

Whatever the reason, having conversations about caregiving and long-term care planning can be difficult for both parties. Gerontologist Sherri Snelling offers us a simple way to think about caregiving conversations using the C-A-R-E method.

Learn the Approach

Having the Hard Conversations

As a current or potential caregiver, you may recognize that you and your loved one need a different solution, but you just aren’t sure how to talk about it. Maybe your aging parents live in a different state, or you can’t provide the level of care they need between working full-time and raising children.

Whatever the reason, having conversations about caregiving and long-term care planning can be difficult for both parties. Gerontologist Sherri Snelling offers us a simple way to think about caregiving conversations using the C-A-R-E method.

Learn the Approach

Stepping Back with Assurance

If you’ve been someone’s caregiver for a while, it can be difficult to let go and get support, even when you know it’s the best choice for you and your loved one.

Whether you have already hired help and are struggling to adapt, or you’re still in the process of considering it, you can find useful information in this article for healthcare providers that discusses the importance of making the mental shift from caregiver to care advocate.

Reevaluate Your Role

Another Resource:

The Importance of Care Advocacy

Stepping Back with Assurance

If you’ve been someone’s caregiver for a while, it can be difficult to let go and get support, even when you know it’s the best choice for you and your loved one.

Whether you have already hired help and are struggling to adapt, or you’re still in the process of considering it, you can find useful information in this article for healthcare providers that discusses the importance of making the mental shift from caregiver to care advocate.

Reevaluate Your Role

Another Resource:

The Importance of Care Advocacy

About Brookdale Senior Living

Am I taking on too much, or am I just a bad caregiver?

What if I can’t keep doing this alone?

How am I going to tell mom that I need help?

How could I trust a stranger to care for her like I do?

Where do I go from here?

You’re not alone, and we want to help you find the answers.

Identifying Burnout

Identifying Burnout

Having the Hard Conversations

Having the Hard Conversations

Stepping Back with Assurance

Stepping Back with Assurance

"Having a loved one in assisted living can help lift caregiver burden and transfer it to staff members, so you can go back to being the daughter, the wife, the husband, the family member…instead of being that care provider."

Caregiving Is Complex

Inside Brookdale Communities

See what’s happening on our community Instagram pages

When Caregiving Becomes Overwhelming

About Brookdale Senior Living

Am I taking on too much, or am I just a bad caregiver?

What if I can’t keep doing this alone?

How am I going to tell mom that I need help?

How could I trust a stranger to care for her like I do?

Where do I go from here?

You’re not alone, and we want to help you find the answers.

Identifying Burnout

Identifying Burnout

Having the Hard Conversations

Having the Hard Conversations

Stepping Back with Assurance

Stepping Back with Assurance

"Having a loved one in assisted living can help lift caregiver burden and transfer it to staff members, so you can go back to being the daughter, the wife, the husband, the family member…instead of being that care provider."

Caregiving Is Complex

Inside Brookdale Communities

See what’s happening on our community Instagram pages

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