How Hospice Care Can Help to Prevent Caregiver Burnout
One of the most important things that a family member can do is to be a caregiver to a loved one who has a serious or life-limiting illness. Can also be physically & emotionally exhausting, particularly when supervision required 24 hours a day.
Family caregivers often assume a kind of super-human responsibility for their care-taking, taking on medications, meals, hygiene, appointments, symptoms, emotional support, and late-night concerns. This kind of responsibility over time can cause caregiver burnout.
Hospice care services can alleviate that burden by offering professional assistance to the patient and instruction to the family. The purpose is to increase comfort, educate, and decrease the feeling of being alone in a challenging situation.
What is Caregiver Burnout?
Burnout among caregivers occurs when a person is physically, mentally, and emotionally fatigued by the daily demand of caring for another person.
This may occur over time. This is because many caregivers are preoccupied with their loved one’s needs and fail to notice the signs. Burnout may impact the caregiver’s health, patience, sleep and decision-making, however.
Some symptoms of caregiver burnout can be:
Tiredness or lack of energy all the time
Trouble sleeping
Worrying, feeling low, feeling angry, feeling helpless
Difficulty concentrating
Forgetfulness
Loneliness (feeling cut off from friends or family)
Being ill more frequently
Giving in to the urge to take a break and the guilt of needing one
It’s important to be able to spot these early signs. It’s important that caregivers are supported, too and asking for help is not a failure. It’s a component of the care provider and patient protection.
Hospice Care— What It Is?
Hospice care is a type of care that is available for those who have a life threatening disease, and now their treatment is not about curing the disease, but providing comfort, dignity, and maximizing quality of life.
Hospice is not just for the patient. It also assists the family/cares. Members of a hospice team can include nurses, physicians, social workers, chaplains, hospice aides, volunteers, and others who provide care for the patient’s physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
The hospice service’s goal is to help address pain and symptoms, offer emotional support and to comprehensively support and accompany families with compassion and respect throughout the end-of-life care process.
Hospice care is available to assist family caregivers.
There are ways that hospice care can help family caregivers.
For an overwhelmed family, hospice care can be a big help. Rather than being alone, there is a team of caregivers to which the caregiver can turn for guidance, education and support.
Professional Care and Symptom Management
One of the most challenging aspects of care is what to do when symptoms are changing. Family members may be concerned about pain, difficulty breathing, restlessness, weakness, confusion or loss of appetite.
Hospice nurses assist in symptom management and in notifying the physician of any changes in symptoms. They might be able to provide instruction to caregivers on what to look for and how to act.
This expert guidance can help build families’ confidence and alleviate anxieties about what to do.
Emotional and Spiritual Support
It can be difficult to see your loved one deteriorate. Caring persons can feel sad, anxious, guilty, stressed or unsure. These emotions are natural and healthy, but can be burdensome when they are not shared.
Emotional and spiritual support during hospice care can be provided to the patient and family. Often, social workers/chaplains and other hospice staff can assist families in exploring their challenging feelings, discussing their concerns, and gaining comfort in a difficult time.
This support can help carers to feel heard, understood and less isolated.
Respite Care Provides Caregivers with Time to Rest
Caregivers are the last to take care of themselves. This can lead to them missing out on rest, meals, appointments or personal time as they feel they have to be there for others at all times.
Respite care can provide the carer with a short break to rest, do other necessary care tasks, or simply relax. Any break can help to alleviate stress and replenish energy.
Rest isn’t a time for the caregiver to leave the loved one. It means that they are ensuring they can give care in a healthier way.
Education and Guidance for Families
Often family carers are not formally trained health professionals. They may not know how to give medicines, how to help them to move, how to relieve their symptoms or how to know what changes are normal near the end of life.
Hospice staff members offer education and real-life advice. They are able to describe what to anticipate, how to comfort and when to seek assistance.
This type of learning can minimize fear and confusion. When caregivers are aware of the care plan, they will feel better prepared and supported.
Find answers to your questions 24/7.
Care giving issues aren’t limited to business hours. Symptoms may vary during the night, at the weekend or on holidays.
An essential part of hospice care is the assistance that is available if there are sudden needs. When caregivers are feeling helpless during challenging times, they can find comfort in knowing there is someone to help.
This support can help to lessen anxiety and make families feel better about the care they are providing.
Sometimes, the earlier the hospice care is provided, the more beneficial it can be.
Many families don’t think about hospice care until the last few days or weeks. But hospice is most helpful when initiated earlier.
Early hospice care provides the patient and family more time to get to know the hospice team, learn more about the patient’s care plan, control symptoms and get emotional support.
Getting started early with hospice can help caregivers:
Additional time for questions
Increased awareness of the experience.
Increased assistance in monitoring for symptoms changes
Respite care (when appropriate)
Emotionally and spiritually supported on the journey
Reduced stress of being responsible for all aspects of the job
Hospice care is not giving up. It’s all about providing support, comfort and guidance when patients and families are in need.
Selecting the Best Hospice Provider
Families should consider providers that offer good communication, compassion and are willing to listen to the patient’s desires when selecting a hospice provider.
Useful queries to consider are:
How soon can care start?
What number do you call after hours for?
What will be the frequency of the nurse’s visits?
What’s available to help family caregivers?
Does respite care exist if it is appropriate?
What does the team do to help manage pain and symptoms?
How is emotional and spiritual need met?
The family should feel supported and not pressured by the right hospice. Families should be at ease raising questions and expressing concerns.
Canestro Care Hospice Is Here to Help
We know that being a carer can be rewarding and challenging at Canestro Care Hospice. We are a team here to provide care for our patients and their families that is caring and concerned with comfort, dignity and peace.
Canestro Care Hospice is here to help if your loved one might need hospice care, or if you’re a healthcare provider who would like to refer a patient to us.
A hospice referral can be made online and a member of our team will be there 24 hours a day for you to call anytime (844) 978-2100.
Final Thoughts
Burnout is a real phenomenon among caregivers and families deserve a support person through the hospice journey. Hospice care not only supports the patient, it also aids caregivers in coping with stress, offers an understanding of the hospice process, and offers confidence to the caregiver.
With the proper hospice care team, families can spend less time worrying and more time relaxing, enjoying comfort, connection, and time with the person they are supporting.