Am I “at-risk” because of caregiver burden?

4/12/2022 12:00:00 AM

Caring for a family member or friend can be tremendously fulfilling. It can bring you closer together and fill your heart with love. Yet, caring can also take a toll on your physical and mental health; on finances, personal relationships and work-life.

The stress caregivers experience is often long-term, uncontrollable and unpredictable and can lead to caregiver burden…a negative perspective on caregiving that comes from giving for too long without taking time to replenish your energy. Due to depleted physical and emotional well-being, half of caregivers report moderate to high levels of caregiver burden.

You’ll know you have caregiver burden if you feel:

• A loss of privacy or time for yourself

• Stressed by juggling caregiving and other responsibilities

• Angry or strained when around the one receiving your care

• Unsure about what to do about the person in your care

• Guilty about not doing enough, or not doing well enough as a caregiver

• Your social life or relationships with family or friends have suffered

• Your physical or emotional health has suffered

• You’ve lost control of your life

As these feelings become more intense and persistent, your level of burden and the risk to your health grows. Protect your well-being. You can find out if your health is “at-risk” because of caregiving; with the evidence-based, Burden Scale for Family Caregivers-Short version (BSFC-s).

In my next post, I will share some tips on what you can do about caregiver burden. Until then, remember to take good care of yourself…Jane