Caring for a cancer patient often requires the entire family to reorganize their lives. Especially if the patient is at home every day. While everyone focuses on helping the patient, on the other side of the fence are their loved ones. Those who are accompanied by fear and, not infrequently, a sense of helplessness every day. Those who try not to show their emotions because they want to be a source of support for the patient. Until one day, something inside them snaps. Caregiver burnout can affect anyone. Find out how to recognize it and how to help yourself.
How can you recognize caregiver burnout?
Caregiver burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It is the result of prolonged fatigue and stress associated with caring for a cancer patient. Caregiver burnout is physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. It manifests itself in many ways—alongside feelings of guilt or helplessness, it can eventually lead to feelings of anger toward the patient. What else is worth paying attention to?
Caregiver burnout – physical and mental symptoms
Chronic fatigue takes a toll on both physical and mental health. People experiencing caregiver burnout may experience symptoms such as muscle aches, headaches, sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, difficulty concentrating, and mood swings.
The stress and fatigue experienced by caregivers of cancer patients can lead to feelings of helplessness, anxiety, and pressure to fulfill their responsibilities and manage the financial costs of treatment. Yet, in addition to caring for the patient at home, they must also take care of themselves, their jobs, their homes, and other family members.
Over time, caregiver burnout leads to apathy and isolation. The caregiver neglects their social and professional life. Things that once brought them joy no longer hold their interest.
A caregiver's sense of guilt
Many people who care for a sick person experience feelings of guilt. These feelings mainly arise when the caregiver is tired and wants to rest or do something for themselves. The desire to change surroundings and forget, even for a moment, about their responsibilities is immediately met with thoughts like, “I can’t do that. They won’t manage without me. Their health is in a much worse state; my back pain is nothing. How can I go to the movies with a friend when my loved one is dealing with the side effects of chemotherapy?”
Remember that to help someone else, you must first take care of yourself. By devoting all your time and energy to caring for a sick person at home, you put yourself at risk of caregiver burnout. Difficult emotions are an inevitable part of daily life for people with cancer and their loved ones. However, there are ways to cope with them. Just as there are solutions that can make caring for someone with cancer less overwhelming for you.
Can caring for a sick person lead to depression?
Yes, caring for a cancer patient can lead to a decline in mood due to chronic stress and is associated with a higher risk of developing depression. Caregiver fatigue is very often accompanied by feelings of loneliness and a sense of not being understood.
Check out: Anxiety and depression in cancer patients.
How can you deal with caregiver burnout?
Caregiver burnout is the result of weeks or months of living under pressure, stress, and fatigue. Recovery can also take several weeks or months, depending on the caregiver’s mental and physical condition. First and foremost, seek help and support—from family, friends, doctors, and staff at an oncology foundation. Second, take care of yourself and give yourself time. Third, reorganize care for the patient at home.
How can you take care of yourself while caring for someone who is ill?
Share the responsibility of caring for a sick person at home with other family members or friends, or seek professional help. Not everyone can afford to hire a caregiver. One option is to apply for care services through a social services office. If the patient needs palliative care, it’s a good idea to consider home hospice care.
Take care of your diet, sleep, and rest. Make time for the things you enjoy doing. This could be reading a book, going for a walk, or spending time with friends. It’s important to step away from your role as a caregiver, even if just for a moment. It’s these moments that will give you the strength and motivation to continue caring for the patient.
Should a caregiver seek psychological help?
Psychological support for caregivers is very important. By helping caregivers, we also help the people they care for. The best approach is to seek psychological support right away, at the very beginning of the journey of caring for a loved one at home.
Psychological support for a caregiver can take many forms. If you know you’ll be caring for someone with cancer, take advantage of support groups for patients’ families. Talking with people who are going through what you are will not only allow you to exchange valuable experiences and advice, but will also provide you with a space to share your emotions. Support groups for families of cancer patients are run, among others, by cancer foundations.
Check out: how to choose a cancer foundation.
The psychological support that families of patients and those suffering from caregiver burnout need can be provided through therapy with a specialist—whether individual or group therapy. Unfortunately, many people still view therapy as something to be ashamed of. Suppressing your emotions and ignoring the signals your body sends you will not solve the problem. Admitting to yourself that you need help and want to receive it is a sign of courage.
How do you handle caring for a sick person at home?
Many people are afraid they won’t be able to handle caring for someone with cancer. Start by educating yourself. The more you know about the disease, the prognosis, and treatment options, the better prepared you’ll be to provide care. Ask a physical therapist, a doctor, or relatives of other cancer patients how to prepare your home for caring for a patient. Make a schedule—not just for caring for the patient, but also for household and family responsibilities—and divide the tasks among all household members according to their abilities.
Take advantage of the financial assistance and benefits available to help with your household budget. Cancer treatment involves a range of expenses. If you need financial assistance, please contact us. As a cancer foundation, we provide a fundraising platform for cancer patients. It doesn’t matter whether you’re caring for a patient at home or your loved one is in the hospital. At Cancer Fighters, we’ll provide you with organizational, psychological, and practical support.
