BURNED-OUT CAREGIVER SYNDROME: CHARACTERISTICS AND STAGES - ECONOMÍA - 2024

The burned-out caregiver syndrome implies a physical and psychological exhaustion of the person who takes care of another, usually an elderly person, who becomes dependent after suffering some type of brain injury or degenerative disease.

If you are caring for someone with some type of brain injury or disease, you are likely physically and psychologically exhausted. What's more, you may feel guilty for feeling this bad, because it is supposed to be your duty to take care of this person and you should be able to do it alone.

Caregiver syndrome characteristics

It appears frequently in people who care for a relative with Alzheimer's disease or who have been left with serious consequences after suffering a cerebrovascular accident.

Caring for this type of patient is very demanding, as they completely depend on another person to have their basic needs covered. You have to help them eat, you have to dress them, give them their medications, help them go to the bathroom and a long etcetera, all day, every day.

It is undoubtedly an exhausting job for someone who assumes responsibility for the care of such a dependent person. This continued stress over time begins to cause physical and mental symptoms in the caregiver, symptoms that together make up the so-called caregiver syndrome.

Caregiver profile

In many cases, the caregiver is an average-aged woman who:

• He is a very close relative of the patient: he is the wife, mother or daughter.
• She is very willful and responsible with her tasks.
• Try to combine the activities of your life with the care of this relative in the best possible way
• Believe that you will be able to take care of this person on your own and also continue with your daily activities

What about the person who cares for another?

Over time, the person assumes a great burden, physical and mental. By personally taking care of everything related to the care of the patient, the caregiver gradually loses his independence, since all his time is dedicated to the care of his family member.

Thus, the caregiver neglects himself. He leaves his recreational activities, his social life is greatly diminished, he stops going out and after a while, the quality of life of the caregiver is greatly affected.

Warning signs

If you take care of a patient who is very dependent, you will not necessarily suffer from caregiver syndrome. But you must be very attentive to these symptoms, because physical and emotional stress can begin to affect you at any time.

In addition, the syndrome does not appear overnight, but rather gradually sets in. The red flags that you should pay close attention to are the following:

1. Sleep disturbances . It's one thing if you don't sleep well one night, but if you start having trouble sleeping well most days, then you surely have a problem to fix. Visit this article to learn how to sleep better.
2. Symptoms of anxiety. You may be feeling more anxious than before, and this may be a sign that caregiver syndrome is setting in in your life.
3. If you have adopted excessive and compulsive behaviors. If you have started smoking or do it more than before for example, it may be an indicator that you are suffering from the syndrome. Excessive alcohol use and sudden mood swings are also red flags.
4. Memory problems, lack of concentration. Do you find it difficult to concentrate on your daily tasks? Do you often forget what you had to do? Intense stress, continued over time may be the cause.
5. You have stopped dating. A person who is caring for a family member full time is gradually putting aside her social life. If you've stopped seeing your friends and aren't even thinking about going out at night, then maybe you're starting to suffer from caregiver syndrome.

That you feel identified with some of these symptoms does not mean that you necessarily have the syndrome. However, you must be vigilant because without a doubt you are in a very vulnerable situation.

Stages of caregiver syndrome

As is often the case with psychic or psychological disorders, these are installed little by little, through a process that takes a certain time. We briefly explain this process to you, so that you can better understand what may be happening to you.

Stage 1. Assuming leadership

Many times a vascular accident is the cause of the brain injury that leaves the person disabled, and in other cases, it is degenerative diseases that the doctor diagnoses one fine day.

After knowing the news, and naturally, someone assumes the leadership and although the whole family will be able to collaborate, only one person will be the main reference, and that person is you. That day begins your great path of effort and dedication.

Stage 2. High demand and few resources

It is possible that already in the first days of care you realize that the demand for time and other resources is really very great.

You try to cover all the needs of the patient, dedicating more time and more care to them. Many times the patient is not even in a position to collaborate minimally in their care, which is very exhausting for the caregiver.

Stage 3. Reaction to over-demand

After a certain time of great dedication on your part, of a lot of stress and effort, your body begins to react to the excess demand.

Soon you will feel exhausted, physically and mentally. You may feel anxious and depressed. As mentioned earlier, sudden mood swings, sleep disturbances, and social isolation are likely to appear.

Perhaps you feel guilty for being really tired and for wanting (even for a moment) to leave the sick person and have some time to yourself. At this stage it can be said that you are suffering from caregiver syndrome.

Stage 4. Feeling of relief

Some people are hesitant to express their sense of relief once the person has passed away. The relief and the feeling of liberation is completely natural, to the extent that the caregiver was imprisoned in that situation.

Caregiver syndrome in senile dementia

Caregiver syndrome can present much more marked signs in caregivers with degenerative disorders of the nervous system, whose cognitive processes deteriorate more and more over time.

Imagine what it means to take care of a very dear person, who in reality does not even know you anymore, does not know who he is, where he is or in what time he is living. Nor is he able to say two coherent sentences in a row.

It is psychologically exhausting and very frustrating. And furthermore, the caregiver knows that the disease is irreversible, and that it will only get worse. At the same time, you also don't know how long it's going to last.

According to WHO data, there are currently more than 36 million people living with senile dementia. On the other hand, due to the greater life expectancy, it is anticipated that in two decades this number will be substantially higher.

The large number of patients will increase the cases of caregiver syndrome. This means that resources will have to be devoted not only to caring for the sick, but also to caring for those who care for these sick people.

Different types of caregiver

There are different types of caregiver, and the syndrome affects each of them differently. Formal caregivers are those who belong to an institution, such as a hospital or a nursing home.

Then there are family members who are informal caregivers, who only take care of the sick from time to time, but not all the time.

And then there is the family member who lives with the sick person and who takes care of him almost all the time, usually the wife, daughter or mother. These are the caregivers most at risk for caregiver syndrome.

Of those affected, 63% are women and 37% are men. To address this situation, today there are containment, training and assistance programs for this type of people.

Can it be prevented?

Whenever there is an illness or an accident that generates dependence of a loved one on another person, there will be negative effects.

You would not be human if you did not feel sadness, helplessness, and even what is much worse: a feeling of great guilt. Why? Because that loved one is depending on you to live, and sometimes you will feel the need to go out to distract yourself or take care of yourself.

All that you feel is completely normal. But in addition to that, you should know that there are tools and measures that you can take that will help you mitigate the effects of the syndrome, or what is even better: prevent that situation from becoming a disorder for you.

Here are some recommendations that can help you:

Acknowledge the problem

Indeed, the illness of that loved one has generated a problem. As such you have to assume it, and plan the strategies to face it successfully. Many people, either out of shame or because they are concerned about "what will they say" downplay the situation and hide it.

Don't confuse leadership with responsibility

It may be that for different reasons you are the leader of this great mission that is to care for the sick, but this does not mean that you are the only one responsible.

You may think that if you don't give the food or the medicine yourself, no one else will be able to do it right. You must learn to share these tasks and involve other family and friends in caring for the sick.

Talk about the topic

Talk about your feelings with a friend or other family member. When a problem is shared, the perspective changes completely. Sharing will ease your burden. It is also important to inform health professionals if you have noticed progress or setbacks in the situation of the patient you care for.

Never take for granted that this or that change is typical of the disease. Trust the specialized people.

New habits of life?

Perhaps you have neglected your diet or your activities, to spend more time caring for the sick person.

But it is important that your diet is balanced, healthy and natural and that you have moderate physical activity, so that your body can maintain its good health.

Take time for yourself

To some extent it is natural for you to put aside your desires, tastes or even your routine to take care of that person.

Without a doubt, when you take care of someone you have more responsibilities but you cannot stop taking care of yourself. If you do, you will feel bad, get sick, and stop being a good caregiver.

Take time to go to the movies with a friend, to go to the hairdresser or for that hobby that you like so much. This will help you clear your mind, you will feel much better and you can also take better care of the sick person.

Try to avoid overprotection

Sometimes and totally unconsciously, you protect that special being that you are caring for too much.

You can hear yourself repeating: "You can't do such a thing because it hurts you" or "I'm afraid something will happen to you and then I'd rather do it myself." The truth is that you are placing more burden on your shoulders than necessary. Besides that it is not good for the other person.

Stay well informed

Sometimes you can feel irritated and frustrated because you think that the sick person is doing nothing to contribute to their rehabilitation or you think that they act like that just to annoy you. Learn about that person's brain damage so you can better understand how they behave.

This caregiver syndrome is much more common than you think. You must be alert to the first symptoms and share the responsibilities of caring for the sick with other people, to avoid exhaustion and deterioration in your life.