Caregiver Burnout in a Global Pandemic
This global pandemic has brought a lot of challenges to everybody’s lives. It definitely changed a lot of norms. However, there are certain people who have been affected by it deeply to a fault, caregivers included.
As rewarding as this job can be, caregiving can still be exhausting. All caregivers share the same experience: navigating the challenges in life while maintaining great care for the elderly. If you want to have a great read about this, you should look into the literary works of Eleanor Gaccetta. Gaccetta’s book about taking care of elderly family members will inspire you to do better at this job. You will discover so many insights that you can use as a caregiver.
While most of the time, these hardships are managed and accounted for most of the time, there are still some things that the world throws in your path along the way, such as the COVID – 19 pandemic. The routine of these people has changed and can greatly affect their emotional well-being, which is a big no in this kind of job. You need to have self-efficacy. Kent et al. (2020), did a study on the current impact of the pandemic on caregivers who give care to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. They showed challenges facing caregivers during the pandemic, there are three—emotional stress, economic stress, and decreased routine health care options.
Thus, not only do you have to possess the right skillsets, but you have to possess courage. So, you can just imagine what caregivers are going through in this pandemic. If you are a caregiver and feel like you are on your way to burnout during these uncertain times, you’ve definitely come to the right place. This blog will help you cope up with that stress. It will help you identify symptoms and give you ways to make them up as soon as possible. Listed points below are some of the burnouts you might experience and how you can withstand them.
Emotional Stress
Considering that you are taking care of the elderly, you must have the patience every day to deal with them. No one can deny the fact that the elderly are going to have their moments of resistance. To have patience, you must have a clear mindset. A peace of mind that you can share with the one you are taking care of. With strong emotional control, you can be the best version of yourself. And you can provide the best care. This pandemic, you must work on this more often. Know the correct and proper measures for you to take whenever you feel exhausted. This way, you will bridge the gap as soon as you can. Emotional stress—when you feel different things, such as anxiety, fear, anger, sadness, or frustration. It can even include physical symptoms.
Economic Stress
This point is for those caregivers working for other people. Like every other people in the world, in the early stages of the pandemic, caregivers were worried about unemployment. Since there were people losing their jobs, it has truly brought economic activity to a halt. All but the most important companies were shut down, creating unparalleled economic chaos that continues to this day to varying degrees. However, this aspect may be inevitable. You should still consider seeking ways to tame this feeling. You have to feel that it won’t be the end of the world if you get terminated from the job because of the pandemic. You assure yourself that you will get another.
Decreased Health Care Options
There may be routines that will change. Since people are not allowed to go out more often, you as a caregiver may be affected by it. There may be fewer health care options. You may have to add more tasks to your daily routine.
In conclusion, caregiving in this time of the COVID – 19 pandemic may be different, harder than you think. There will be challenges you must face. Your passion will be tested. However, as long as you know the ways to cope, you will be good to go. Finding the positive aspects of daily life, trusting in yourself and your abilities to persevere and move forward.
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