Caring for aging loved ones can be exhausting, time consuming, frustrating and draining. Regardless of whether your loved one is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, or congestive heart failure (CHF) to name only a few, the toll it takes on the caregiver is exponential. “Avoiding Caregiver Burnout” in the New York Times gives us a look at the struggles that millions of aging adult children go through when caring for their parents. While adult children often feel it is their duty to be a caregiver for their aging parents, it is imperative that they avoid burnout. Too much stress can lead to both emotional and physical consequences. Even though our society prioritizes the experience of the patient, illness and aging affects the entire family. Too often, we neglect caring for ourselves while we have the responsibility of caring for others. We see this scenario happen all the time with our clients. The healthy spouse or adult child takes care of their loved one and loses their own health during this process. One of our suggestions is respite care to give themselves a break a few hours a day to focus on their own needs. It can make a big difference.
