Whether you’re a mother, a teacher or a therapist, much of your time is spent attending to the needs of others. Caregiving is always challenging, but when the child or children you care for have severe disabilities, your caregiving responsibilities are especially demanding.
Caregiving can take quite a toll on people who care for family members.
According to statistics collected by the Caregiver Action Network:
· More than 65 million people, 29% of the U.S. population, provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend during any given year and spend an average of 20 hours per week providing care for their loved one.
· Approximately 66% of family caregivers are women. More than 37% have children or grandchildren under 18 years old living with them.
· 14% of family caregivers care for a special needs child with an estimated 16.8 million caring for special needs children under 18 years old. 55% of these caregivers are caring for their own children.
· 23% of family caregivers caring for loved ones for 5 years or more report their health is fair or poor.
· Nearly three quarters (72%) of family caregivers report not going to the doctor as often as they should and 55% say they skip doctor appointments for themselves.
· 63% of caregivers report having poor eating habits than non-caregivers and 58% indicate worse exercise habits than before caregiving responsibilities.
· 40% to 70% of family caregivers have clinically significant symptoms of depression with approximately a quarter to half of these caregivers meet the diagnostic criteria for major depression.
· More than 1 in 10 (11%) of family caregivers report that caregiving has caused their physical health to deteriorate.
·· 64% of working parents caring for a special needs child believe that caregiving responsibility has negatively impacted their work performance.
If you are a parent caring for a child who has disabilities, be sure to recognize the signs of burnout. According to Kids Health from Nemours, “caregiver burnout is a true state of exhaustion, both physical and emotional. It tends to happen when caregivers try to “do it all” without getting the help or rest they need. Because caregivers tend to be on autopilot, they’re not usually quick to recognize burnout in themselves. Other people might notice the symptoms first, which can include changes in appetite and sleep patterns, withdrawal from social activities, increased anxiety, or emotions that are either heightened (such as excessive crying or irritability) or decreased (feeling empty or unconcerned). Take it seriously if someone you trust notices any of these things in you.”
Teachers and therapists working with children with special needs are disproportionately at risk for burnout compared to those in other professions. One of the major causes of burnout is “compassion fatigue.”
The Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project and Dr. Charles Figley, Director of the Tulane University Traumatology Clinic define compassion fatigue as “a state experienced by those helping people or animals in distress; it is an extreme state of tension and preoccupation with the suffering of those being helped to the degree that it can create a secondary traumatic stress for the helper.”
“Caring too much can hurt,” says Figley. “When caregivers focus on others without practicing self-care, destructive behaviors can surface. Apathy, isolation, bottled up emotions and substance abuse head a long list of symptoms associated with the secondary traumatic stress disorder now labeled: Compassion Fatigue”
Despite these difficult realities, much can be done to prevent the symptoms and negative long-term effects of compassion fatigue and burnout. Whether you’re a parent or professional caregiver, it all starts with self-care. Taking the time to nurture and replenish yourself is critically important. Here are some suggestions from Kids Health from Nemours:
1. Take breaks
2. Eat right
3. Exercise
4. Stay organized
5. Ask for health
6. Find a support group
7. Acknowledge your feelings
8. Be aware of the signs of burnout
And don’t forget to treat yourself well this Mother’s Day!
