Caregiving

How Respite Care Can Help Prevent Caregiver Burnout

If you feel overwhelmed by the demands of taking care of a loved one, read our five tips for caregiver burnout and find out how respite care in a senior living community offers the support you’ve been searching for.

Caregiver burnout is a state of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion caused by the continuous work it takes to maintain a high-quality life for an elder family member. Burnout often occurs when family caregivers aren’t receiving the support they need to confidently spend time away from their loved one.

If you feel overwhelmed by the demands of taking care of a loved one, read our five tips for caregiver burnout and find out how respite care in a senior living community offers the support you’ve been searching for.

1. Make time to rest and relax

Rest and relaxation has a powerful effect on your mental and physical health. It lowers your heart rate, decreases your blood pressure and reduces your production of cortisol, a hormone your body creates when it’s stressed out. You’ll notice an enormous improvement in your mood after a well-deserved day of rest.

One benefit of respite care is your family member’s health and safety are always in expert hands, so you can clear your mind and reach a state of deeper relaxation knowing their needs will be met by a compassionate care team while you’re away.

2. Take care of your own health

It’s easy to prioritize your family member’s health and dietary needs over your own. One of our best tips for caregiver burnout is to find enjoyable ways to stay healthy that work for your lifestyle. Whether you’re an avid runner, seasoned yogi or have a passion for cooking nutritious and delicious meals, find time to practice healthy habits that also make you happy.

3. Respite care gives you the chance to reenergize and reorganize.

While your loved one enjoys all the benefits of respite care in a senior living community, you’ll have time for healthy activities like attending a group fitness class, meal prepping for the week or taking your dog for a long hike.

4. Stay engaged with your friends and family

Building and maintaining strong social relationships can reduce stress, relieve anxiety and improve your quality of life. However, social isolation is a common concern for many family caregivers. Between the responsibilities of caregiving, your career and life’s other challenges, it’s almost impossible to find time or energy to socialize.

Respite care gives both you and your family member abundant opportunities to engage in healthy social lives. You can plan for plenty of quality time with your friends and family, while your loved one builds new friendships and socializes in ways that may not be available at home.

Respite care gives both you and your family member abundant opportunities to engage in healthy social lives.

5. Manage caregiver guilt

When your loved one depends on your help 24/7, it’s hard to put yourself first. Caregiver guilt can lead you to believe you don’t deserve a vacation or an extended break from caring for your family member. Feeling guilty is normal. It’s okay to acknowledge how much work it takes to be a caregiver and to take a few days away from your loved one.

Respite care is perfect for family caregivers who want to travel to a remote or distant destination. Whether you’re camping in the woods or lying on the beach, the professionals taking care of your family member in respite care know just what to do in case of emergency.

6. Consider moving your loved one to assisted living

Respite care is a great way for your family member to experience the incredible lifestyle a senior living community can provide. One of our top tips for caregiver burnout is to keep an open mind about senior living options. Though you may love having your family member at home, assisted living may provide more opportunities for them to maintain their independence.

If your family member enjoys the services and amenities and is developing new friendships in respite care, there’s a good chance a senior living community will help your loved one thrive through every stage of their retirement. You’ll be able to get back more time for yourself, and both you and your loved one will have peace of mind that their needs are being met by experts 24/7.

Discover What Makes Oaks Senior Living’s Respite Care Different

Our senior living communities throughout Georgia and metro Atlanta offer respite care to ease stress that many caregivers face when trying to balance maintaining a household, career and personal life. No matter the length of stay, people become part of our family and receive the same incredible care and access to our amenities that are provided to our residents.

Take it from Paul, who needed short-term care for his mother, so he could take some time off from his role as a caregiver. He called 11 senior living communities, and none of them offered respite care that worked with Paul’s schedule.

As soon as he reached the Oaks at Shiloh Point, our team found a way for his mom to stay at our senior living community, and Paul finally had a chance to unwind.

“Mom had a great time, because she got out of the house, met some very nice people, and ate much better than she does at home with me. And I had a chance to relax, catch up on some chores around the house, and even went camping for several days. It was wonderful! If any caregivers are looking for a way to take a break and have some time to themselves, I highly recommend the new short-term respite care offering from Oaks at Shiloh Point.”

Learn How You and Your Family Member Can Benefit from Respite Care at Oak Senior Living

If you’re searching for more personal time and want to know more about how respite care can benefit your family, contact Oaks Senior Living online or call us at 770-796-5871, and we’ll match you with the right community. We can’t wait to get to know you!

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