As a caregiver, do you ever feel that at the end of the day you have nothing left for yourself or other members of your family? We hear it all the time, “I just don’t have any energy left.” The life of a caregiver can be more energy draining than the life of the person needing care. Caregiving, although rewarding, can be relentless, under appreciated, and physically and emotionally demanding. Caregiver burnout is common.
Many times we see caregivers’ health decline. Caregivers are known to ignore their own health, stop disease prevention activities; they gain weight, stop exercising, and lose their enthusiasm for life. Lunch might be a quick candy bar or take out burgers typically inhaled between doctor’s visits or tending to hygiene needs.