Public Spark

Whether you are a professional in the helping field or an adult looking after your elderly parent, both caregiver burden and compassion fatigue can be a significant factor. I use these terms interchangeably as do other social workers and psychologists to mean stress and lessening of compassion one feels after taking care of people. Having been in the helping profession and also helping to care for my grandmother all my life, I know the toll this can take.

1. Do something fun and rewarding

   Take your mind off of your responsibility by rewarding yourself. Perhaps a good book or a gossip magazine or a blog!

2. Boundaries- know your limits

   The best way to prevent compassion fatigue is to know your limits. Understand that even if you wanted to take care of your someone 24 hours a day, it is not possible. Work with it. Maybe 6 hours a day is your limit and you can find two other people to take care of them or place them in a facility where there is constant 24 hour care by professionals.

3. Get plenty of rest

   People can underestimate the importance of not having enough sleep. Whenever I don’t get enough sleep, it is really hard for me to concentrate or even get mundane things done. Sleep allows you to replenish the energy that you need to truly help someone.

4. Support

   Having social contact outside of your profession and/or caregiving duties is extremely important. It’s great to have a environment where you feel supported and cared for.

5. Get time off

   Sometimes there comes a point where there is so much you can do. It can be so overwhelming that you need to take time off completely away from your caregiving duties.

6. Understand that your stressful feelings are normal

   Denying this understanding can actually harm the caregiving duties and make you more vulnerable to getting sick, mentally fatigued, and emotionally distressed.

7. Exercise and eat properly

   As much as it is important to take care of others, it is important, if not more important to take care of yourself first.

8. Develop new interests

   Along the same lines of caring for yourself, it is great to develop new interests. Art, music, sports, can all be beneficial to keeping you energetic and happy. It can also replenish the stress and fatigue because caring for others can be extremely difficult.