Caregiver Burnout – A Silent Crisis

Providing day-to-day care to an aged or disabled person is a heavy load to bear. As a carer, performing the tasks at hand and putting the needs of others first before their own may be overwhelming in the long run. Whether a carer is a volunteer or paid worker, they are prone to experiencing frequent bouts of work-related stress. Prolonged periods of stress can eventually lead to physical and emotional exhaustion. This situation is commonly referred to as ‘caregiver burnout’.

Physical exhaustion or burnout may be psychologically debilitating in the long run if left unmanaged. Short-term but reoccurring stressors can cause lasting relationship difficulties, mental health challenges, and physical injuries/sickness. As a result, care providers experience more difficulty in caring for their client/loved one, which can possibly spiral into abuse or neglect.

Causes of Caregiver Burnout

Different factors come into play that influences eventual fatigue or emotional and physical exhaustion. Here are some of the common causes of caregiver burnout:

Lack of resources

Caring for another person, especially for a loved one, involves financial and physical resources. When there becomes a lack of these, the care provider will have to double their efforts to fulfil their responsibilities.

Confusion over their role

This is most common for carers who have been handed the responsibility abruptly or without proper briefing. Caring for another person often entails a huge lifestyle change. The boundaries of their job may be complex and challenging to define.

Declining health

Care providers expect that they can help improve the health of the client or family member that they care for. However, when the opposite happens, it can cause them frustration and guilt.

Symptoms of Caregiver Burnout

Caregiver burnout exhibits a range of symptoms, which can be classified into physical, behavioral, and emotional symptoms.

Physical symptoms

• Frequent headaches
• Body aches
• Fatigue
• Weakened immune system
• Changes in weight and appetite

Behavioral symptoms

• Lack of motivation
• Isolation
• Neglect of responsibilities
• Irritability
• Lack of interest in the usual things you do
• Sleeping pattern changes

Emotional symptoms

• Hopelessness
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Overwhelm
• Denial of one’s condition
• Prone to anger and argumentative

How to prevent and manage Caregiver Burnout

When a care provider starts to feel the symptoms of caregiver burnout, seeking help and support is key to managing the effects. Below are 3 tips one should be mindful of when taking on the responsibility of being a carer:

Seek help

Taking much-needed breaks to attend to one’s personal affairs, errands, and endeavors is a recommended way to balance personal life and work.

For paid carers, taking respite care can ease the burden and let them recharge and relax while someone else takes their place and cares for their client (Read more about Respite Care Services).

Enrich other areas of one’s life

Caregiving, if left unmanaged, can dominate one’s life. Looking for ways to do other things unrelated to work (e.g., learn a new hobby) and doing activities aligned with the carer’s interests; helps maintain a happy and contented disposition.

Take care of oneself

As carers care for others, so should they for themselves. Regularly doing exercise, maintaining enough rest, and adopting good eating patterns can do wonders to maintain a healthy body and mind.

What else can care providers do to prevent burnout and other work-related risks?

The risk of injuries and accidents may always be part of a carer’s job but being protected from the impact of these events is possible (Read more about the Top 2 Common Injuries of Carers). Getting protected with insurance not only benefits the insured carer in times of unwanted events but also minimises the eventual burnout that can happen anytime.

As the bare minimum, a carer should always be covered with these types of insurance:

Public and Products Liability Insurance

Provides protection for legal defence costs and awards/settlements, if there is an allegation of negligence arising from a company’s business activities that led to an injury to a third party or property damage.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

Provides cover for alleged acts, errors or omissions arising from professional negligence or breach of duty that results in property damage, personal injury, and/or financial loss to the person cared for or a third party.

Worker’s Compensation Insurance

Protects employees from work-related injuries and illnesses. If an employee is injured at work, this insurance covers their loss of earnings, medical expenses, and rehabilitation. It is compulsory for business owners in all states and territories in Australia to cover all their employees.

Personal Accident Insurance

Provides cover for Individuals in the event they are unable to go to work due to an illness or injury. It is commonly purchased by individuals that are not eligible for Worker’s Compensation Insurance such as sole traders or working directors in states such as Queensland where they are not covered.

About Optimum Insurance

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