The Stresses of Caregiving
Caring for an individual with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia can be challenging and, at times, overwhelming. Frustration is a normal and valid emotional response to many of the difficulties of being a caregiver. While some irritation may be part of everyday life as a caregiver, feeling extreme frustration can have serious consequences for you or the person you care for. Frustration and stress may negatively impact your physical health or cause you to be physically or verbally aggressive towards your loved one. If your caregiving situation is causing you extreme frustration or anger, you may want to explore some new techniques for coping.
When you are frustrated, it is important to distinguish between what is and what is not within your power to change. Frustration often arises out of trying to change an uncontrollable circumstance. As a caregiver of someone with dementia, you face many uncontrollable situations. Normal daily activities—dressing, bathing and eating—may become sources of deep frustration for you. Behaviors often associated with dementia, like wandering or asking questions repeatedly, can be frustrating for caregivers but are uncontrollable behaviors for people with dementia. Unfortunately, you cannot simply change the behavior of a person suffering from dementia.
When dealing with an uncontrollable circumstance, you do control one thing: how you respond to that circumstance.
In order to respond without extreme frustration, you will need to:
- learn to recognize the warnings signs of frustration
- intervene to calm yourself down physically
- modify your thoughts in a way that reduces your stress;
- learn to communicate assertively
- learn to ask for help.
Make Time for Yourself
You may feel guilty about needing or wanting time out for rest, socialization and fun. However, everyone deserves regular and ongoing breaks from work, including caregivers. “Respite” providers (like BMNTC) can give you the opportunity to take the breaks you need. Respite breaks may be provided by in-home help, adult day care, “friendly visitor” programs, friends and neighbors, or other means. The important point is to allow yourself to take a break from caregiving.
Take Care of Yourself
Although caregiving may make it difficult to find time for yourself, it is important to eat well, exercise, get a good night’s sleep and attend to your own medical needs.
When you do not take care of yourself, you are prone to increased anxiety, depression, frustration and physical distress that will make it more difficult to continue providing care.
Seek Outside Support
Sharing your feelings with a counselor, pastor, a support group, or with another caregiver in a similar situation can be a great way to release stress and get helpful advice.
2015 Dementia & Aging Conference
As one of America’s leading educators on dementia, Teepa Snow’s philosophy is reflective of her education, work experience, available medical research, and first hand caregiving interactions. Working as a Registered Occupational Therapist for over 30 years her wealth of experience has led her to develop Positive Approach™ to Care techniques and training models that now are used by families and professionals working or living with dementia or other brain changes throughout the world.
On September 11th, 2015, Teepa will present at BMNTC Dementia & Aging Conference held at YMCA’s Blue Ridge Assembly.
The BMNTC Conference on Dementia & Aging will focus on Challenging Behaviors – Resistance to Care. We are proud to present two exciting topics; Teepa Snow will present “Challenging Behaviors – Resistance to Care” and “Humor and Caregiving”. The afternoon session will be a repeat of the morning session and Teepa Snow will lead both sessions.
This session is designed to help dementia caregivers consistently use a structured problem solving strategy when confronted with behavioral symptoms that frequently accompany many forms for dementia at various points during progression prior to using pharmacological intervention as a first response. The primary goal of the session is to provide a comprehensive, but quick way to explore all possible causes for new onset of symptoms with care providers so that the root cause(s) of the behaviors are highlighted and interventions are targeted that treat what is really wrong, not just the surface symptoms. Accurate and thorough assessment of factors leading to the observed behaviors can reduce repeat visits, emergency visits, secondary negative and significant events, re-admissions, and problems with discharge and placement. Providing families and care providers with guidance and help to manage behaviors in ways that do not involve the use of medications with negative side effect profiles, identify and treat the underlying causes of the behaviors quickly and effectively, and improving the quality of life for all involved is possible with the right tools and latest in dementia care knowledge.
The purpose of this session is to help everyone involved in the caregiving situation recognize and use humor to create a more positive and effective partnership and connection. The session will distinguish between humor that is negative or destructive to a relationship or individual and humor that is healthy and energizing. Evidence about the value of humor in staying or getting healthy will be shared. Additional evidence will be discussed related to the value of humor in developing and maintaining healthy attitudes and behaviors in caregiving relationships. Finally specific examples and strategies for introducing humor into caregiving situations and relationships will be provided and demonstrated.
The Black Mountain Center Foundation recognizes that caregiver education and support is a vital component for successful caregiving for the caregiver and the recipient. We proudly sponsor educational opportunities in collaboration with BMNTC and other agencies as applicable.