Burnout for Caregivers
Burnout for Caregivers
Care work is an extremely rewarding career, but at times it can be difficult. It’s a labour-intensive, emotionally straining job, and one that you need to be very strong-willed to do. Whether you are an at-home carer, you look after a family member, or you are staff at a care home, there are many challenges you will come across every day. After a while, the impact of overcoming these challenges can start to build up, leading to stress, feeling overwhelmed, underappreciated, and unable to meet the demands of your job. Leaving these feelings to bottle up can lead to ‘burnout’ – a state of complete exhaustion.
What can make carers experience burnout?
- Feeling like they have no control
- Role-confusion, where they fit into the life of the person they are caring for
- Unreasonable demands which cannot be met
- Unrealistic expectations
- Working overtime
- Lack of recognition for hard work
- Emotionally distressing situations
With a shortage in carers across the UK, the pressure on the care industry is more prevalent than ever before. During times of high stress, it’s so important that caregivers know when they need to take a break, and that they ensure they look after their own health first and foremost so that they can provide the best care possible to their patients.
This resource section is full of tips and advice surrounding the topic of caregivers and burnout. On this page, you’ll find a range of videos, articles and more, covering what burnout is, how we can avoid it, and what to do if it sets in.