Caregiver Self-Care Archives

Avoiding Burnout: Support for New Caregivers

February 13, 2025 by Karen Weeks

a person standing on a yoga mat on the floor — Even a small corner of a room can be a useful haven during a caregiver’s day. Unroll a yoga mat and do simple stretches to practice mindfulness and relieve body tension. Photo by Jeongsun Lee via Unsplash

Becoming a caregiver is a deeply rewarding yet demanding role, often requiring long hours, emotional resilience, and constant attention to another’s needs. When you’re caught up in providing care, it’s easy to overlook personal well-being. But neglecting self-care can lead to burnout, stress, and declining health.

New caregivers, whether young people caring for their older people or spouses caring for their partners, must find ways to balance their responsibilities while maintaining their own physical, mental, and emotional wellness. Prioritizing self-care isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity that enables caregivers to provide better support while sustaining their own energy and well-being.

Embracing the Power of Saying No

As a new caregiver, understanding the significance of setting boundaries is essential. You do this to safeguard your mental and physical health. By learning to say no to additional commitments that could overwhelm your emotional reserves, you must prioritize your well-being. That’s the best way to prevent burnout. Don’t let family members pile on more hours than you can realistically give. Try to consistently decline tasks that exceed your ability to do them. For instance, if you cannot lift the person you’re caring for, don’t wreck your back trying to. Talk about hiring help with the other stakeholders–siblings, health care professionals, and the like.

Enthusiasm is highest when you’re just starting out. Most people who become caregivers do so for the noblest of reasons. They want to express their love for the person who has given them love throughout their lifetime. But be realistic about what you can and cannot do. Your goal is to maintain a balanced lifestyle, ensuring you have the energy and motivation to fulfill the commitment you’ve made to the person who needs help.

Balancing Career and Caregiving with Online Education

Not all caregivers are family members. Let’s say you’re in your twenties and caring for an older person who needs a companion. Possibly, you’re a college student working in exchange for room and board or a grandchild, niece, or nephew. Whatever your circumstances, pursuing your career and educational goals doesn’t have to take a backseat. Online degree programs offer a flexible solution, allowing you to manage work, study, and caregiving responsibilities effectively. For instance, earning an IT degree online can equip you with valuable skills in information technology and cybersecurity, fields that are increasingly in demand. This enhances your career prospects for the day when your time is freed up again. If you’d like to learn more, this resource may help.

Creating a Tranquil Home

Cultivating a home environment that supports your well-being through relaxation and healthy habits is crucial. Transforming a corner of living room into a dedicated wellness space, like a cozy yoga studio or a spa-inspired bathroom, can significantly enhance your self-care routine. Incorporating elements such as natural light, indoor plants, and calming colors can amplify the sense of tranquility and rejuvenation.

Developing a mindfulness practice could be your single most important tool in keeping exhaustion and burnout at bay. Even if you’re providing care in someone else’s home, be sure to carve out some space for yourself. Even rolling out a yoga mat in a corner will allow you do some stretches.

Honoring Your Personal Interests

Prioritizing your own interests and hobbies is essential for a fulfilling life beyond your caregiving duties. Engaging in activities you love not only helps you recharge but also provides a much-needed break from the demands of caregiving, allowing you to return with renewed energy and focus. By exploring hobbies, you can better manage your mental health and preserve your identity, even when your free time is limited.

Finding a Supportive Caregiver Community

Whether you’re a paid or unpaid caregiver, the challenges of this work are immense. Maybe you’re having to pull back from your full time job to do it. Maybe you’re doing it because there’s no one else in your family who will. Whatever drew you to this role, you are not the first or only person who finds themselves performing tasks they never imagined they’d do. Joining a network of fellow caregivers is crucial for sharing resources, practical advice, and emotional support. By connecting with others who have similar experiences, you can discover strategies and insights that might not be easily accessible elsewhere. More important, you can develop deep friendships. Warmth and caring from others will recharge your batteries.

Online platforms host numerous support groups that offer solace and guidance. These virtual communities are especially beneficial for those in remote areas, providing a sense of belonging and understanding.

Cultivating a Deeper Sense of Gratitude

Incorporating gratitude into your daily routine can profoundly enhance your experience as a caregiver, fostering a more positive mindset. By focusing on the aspects of life you appreciate, whether they are small joys like a sunny day or significant events like favorable medical results, you can alleviate stress and improve your mental well-being. This practice not only boosts your mood by releasing serotonin and dopamine, hormones associated with happiness, but also enhances your physical health by lowering blood pressure and improving sleep quality.

Recognizing Your Limits to Prevent Burnout

Understanding and respecting your personal limits is essential in preventing burnout, a condition of chronic stress that can significantly affect your well-being. By setting clear boundaries and learning to say no, you can protect your mental health and maintain a manageable workload. Effectively managing tasks and achieving goals can enhance job satisfaction and motivation, reducing the likelihood of feeling overwhelmed. It’s crucial to communicate your limits to family members and even to the person you’re caring for.

Caring for someone else starts with caring for yourself. If you can make time for rest, seek support, and establish personal boundaries, you will stay strong, both physically and emotionally. By embracing self-care, you can maintain your well-being and provide the best possible support for the person you’ve promised to help.

Karen Weeks is a senior lifestyle blogger who believes nothing is off limits to seniors. After retirement, she struggled to find a new sense of purpose. She created www.Elderwellness.net – a resource for seniors who wish to keep their minds, bodies and spirits well.

Resources for Senior Caregivers

February 15, 2023 by Karen Weeks

Being a senior caregiver is a rewarding job, but it can also be challenging, both physically and emotionally. It takes a lot of time, effort, and dedication to provide quality care while also balancing your own work and personal life. Long-term stress can take a toll on your overall well-being.

An elderly gentleman and his caregiver grandson — Caregivers can be grandchildren, nieces, or nephews. Caring for seniors provides an opportunity for intergenerational bonding. Even grandchildren who just stop by to visit can lift the spirits of seniors who spend the day alone. (Image via Pexels)

Tap At-Home Services

Hiring at-home services (home health aides, meal delivery, and housekeeping services) can lighten the load of caring for seniors. These services can be tailored to fit your needs and budget. Take a look at your options online, as these services vary around the country.

“Ordering in” provides another benefit. Often those who deliver Meals on Wheels provide social contact that’s good for seniors’ mental health.

Don’t assume that hiring help is just for people with loads of money. Depending on which state you live in, you may find that state support makes home health care affordable, even for those of modest means. Here’s a state-by-state breakdown of benefits. For a complete list of services, download this brochure. It will point you to programs that might be just what you or your senior needs.

But isn’t hiring all these services going to break the bank? No, it’s not. So called “Cash and counseling programs” originally began as a pilot program to assist Medicaid-eligible seniors. This pilot program has now expanded to every state, with each state calling it something different. Services are different, too. However, the basic idea is to provide money so that seniors can hire and pay their own caregivers.

Ask for Help

Often, caring for a senior falls primarily on one person, often a middle-aged daughter. However, in many cases, the caregiver can call on family members for extra help. A family member who lives far away might be able to fly in for a week or more. If clothing is needed, they can shop and send a care package by mail. Those who live close can drive mom or dad to doctors’ appointments or run errands.

But why don’t other people see what needs to be done and do it? Oftentimes, people who aren’t involved on a day-to-day basis hang back. They don’t want to step on the caregiver’s toes. Also, they don’t know what, exactly, needs to be done. So, rather than complain that the burden is all on you, figure out specific, actionable tasks. Delegate! It can make a big difference in your mental health.

Ask About Job Flexibility

If your job requires you to work outside the home, then consider asking your boss about flexible work hours or working remotely. In many cases, this will allow you to take care of your loved one during the day without you having to sacrifice your job in the process. Additionally, some employers offer paid leave for caregivers.

According to the website Easy Living, a Florida company that specializes in senior care,

An estimated 66% of caregivers are female.
The average caregiver is a 49-year-old woman who works outside the home and provides 20 hours per week of unpaid care to her mother.
Although men also provide assistance, female caregivers may spend as much as 50% more time providing care than male caregivers.

Taking on the role of caregiver means that a working adult risks being short of money when they enter their own senior years. For that reason, it’s important that caregivers look into the possibility of getting paid.

Don’t Work for Free

If you get paid, then you contribute to your own Social Security account.

In California, New York, Washington, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, caregivers taking time off work can receive up to between 60% and 70% of their lost wages up to a maximum of $1,620 per week (as of January 2023), for up to 8 weeks during a 12-month period. The benefit amount is determined by an applicants’ highest quarter of earnings during the previous 12 months.

If your family member qualifies for Medicaid, then in seven states – New York, Nevada, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Indiana – a friend or family member can get paid to be a caregiver. If the senior being cared for is a veteran, then the options for care are even greater. There’s no time limit on getting paid. Many veterans have such severe injuries that they must be cared for 24/7. That care can last years.

Younger Caregivers

What can happen is that caregiving goes on far longer than anticipated. The middle-aged daughter might realize she needs to go back to work because she can see her own retirement just over the horizon. Perhaps, there’s a young person in the family who could step in.

A young person – a grandchild or grand-niece or grand-nephew – might volunteer to help out for what they envision as a short-term good deed. Or, they might be forced to become a caregiver because there’s simply no one else. (See the story of Jacquelyn Revere below.)

In some ways, moving in with an elderly relative solves problems for both generations. The young person gets room and board in exchange for light housekeeping and companionship. They may even get paid, something that’s good for self-esteem. A stint of family caregiving can also allow people in their twenties time to regroup and decide on long-term goals.

Plan for Online Learning

If the younger generation opts in and becomes a family caregiver, then going back to school online is an excellent way to increase their knowledge base. If the demands of caregiving aren’t too heavy, the responsibility involved in caring for an elder can advance a young person’s career. If the young person was let go due to downsizing, had a job with on-again, off-again shifts, or thought their job wasn’t going anywhere, then becoming a caregiver could be a perfect fit.

That’s because caregiving often means many empty hours during the day. (If the older person has dementia, that’s not the case. There are no empty hours.)

Depending on the needs of the senior, however, a younger caregiver might be able to sign up for online courses. There are many courses, such as those offered through Coursera, that offer degrees and certifications in IT, business, healthcare, and more. These online programs could open up opportunities in the future. If a young person takes on a caregiving role, knowing that they have career options can help lighten the load and reduce stress.

Have a CV Handy

Whether you’re a middle-aged woman taking time out to help her mom or a younger person, your time as a caregiver doesn’t have to show up as a blank space on your resume. And, eventually, you’ll be ready to make the transition from caregiver back into the workforce.

As a caregiver, you’ve proven you can handle responsibility. Having an updated CV will showcase all of your skills, qualifications, and experiences so you can impress potential employers. Build a stunning curriculum vitae with an online builder. The best part? Creating a professional-looking document is easy with a CV template, which you can customize with your favorite copy, colors, and images.

Find Support

Being a senior caregiver can be overwhelming, even for the most experienced individual. To combat burnout, join support groups and forums where you can touch base with other caregivers. They understand what you’re going through. They’re your cheering section.

This is especially beneficial if your caregiving duties make it impossible for you to leave the house. Listen to this NPR story about Jacquelyn Revere, a 29-year-old woman who became a #dementia TikTok celebrity. Jacquelyn’s mother and grandmother both had Alzheimer’s, and it was up to her to keep the family afloat. Just imagine the Herculean effort it took to care for two women with dementia at the same time!

Meditate for Me-Time

As you look for support, remember to schedule alone-time. Even if you’re housebound, you can take a mental break by meditating. Meditating has been shown to reduce stress levels and improve overall mental health. Releasing stress is essential when taking care of someone else. Taking just 15 minutes out of each day for yourself can make all the difference when it comes to staying focused and energized.

Being a senior caregiver is no easy task, but there are resources you can tap into. They make the job easier. And, like Jacquelyn Revere, you may discover that caregiving helps you redefine your life’s purpose.

Here, Family Caregiver Support has compiled a list of tips that will help make your daily responsibilities easier. Check out inspiring caregiver stories.

The Best Side-Gigs for Senior Caregivers

May 23, 2022 by Karen Weeks

Working as a paid senior caregiver is a meaningful and rewarding experience for many. However, in the long run, putting out energy to care for the elderly can take a toll on your mental health. That’s certainly true for family caregivers, and it is just as true for those who provide caregiving services for pay.

Even though home-health aides provide essential services for seniors, the pay has never been great. (According to Senior Care, a site that connects caregivers with those who need care, the pay scale for aides ranges from $8 an hour in Louisiana to $22 an hour in Alaska.) If you’re a senior caregiver, then every payday, you face the problem of low wages. The home-healthcare industry typically undervalues your contributions.

This article can help you balance the work you are doing now with your aspirations for the future. Below we’ll discuss side-gigs to provide short-term income. More than a hobby, these can also lead to long-term careers.

elderly man and his caregiver — Although senior caregivers provide essential services, the pay scale means that many caregivers need a supplementary source of income. Image Source: Pexels

Side-Gigs with Flexibility and Good Pay

Flexible hours and a steady flow of income are two things to look for when you’re thinking about side-gigs. Here are three options that perfectly fit the bill.

Virtual Assistant
Freelance Writing
Virtual babysitting

All three have the benefit of being able to fit into your current schedule. You can try them out, or mix and match, to see which one’s right for you. The other good thing is that you can earn more money without going back to school.

Virtual Assistants

As a VA, you will provide online services to a business person. Your job responsibilities will cover scheduling meetings, making travel arrangements, screening calls, filing, and other administrative tasks. You’ll need a computer, but you will work remotely. Good VAs have the skills of time management, communication, attention to detail, and quick decision-making. A big plus in this line of work is having good people skills. Since caregivers spend their days multi-tasking, they’re already good at juggling competing demands. Often, people who hire VAs only require a few hours of work a week, and this can be scheduled at your convenience.

Freelance Writing

If you want to leverage your experience as a senior caregiver, becoming a freelance health writer is a viable option. Being a niche writer increases the chances of demanding higher pay. Your clients can include major healthcare companies, nursing homes, health magazines, websites that specialize in health care, or marketing agencies. As a writer, you’ll be tasked with writing how-to guides, research articles, news pieces, and more. To get a glimpse of job opportunities for freelancers, take a look at Hope Clark’s Funds for Writers’ newsletter.

Virtual Babysitting

For those wanting to stick to caregiving, becoming a babysitter will provide a much-needed change. Babysitting used to mean showing up in person. But that’s not the only kind of babysitting you can do. Parents hire virtual babysitters to keep kids entertained. As reported by the Business Insider, virtual babysitting is on the rise, with pay rates as high as $48/hour. When applying for a job, your experience as a senior caregiver will give you a competitive edge. Maybe you can turn this into a lucrative side-gig.

The best place to find gigs for any of these positions are online freelancing platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, and Thumbtack. Upwork and Fiverr are the best places to find side-gigs as personal assistants or as freelance writers. Thumbtack is a great place to post your services for local babysitting jobs. However, you can also apply for sitting gigs online.

If you don’t have a clue what virtual babysitting involves, then check out SitterCity. They’ll give you a rundown on what it takes to find work as a virtual babysitter. In addition, here are some examples of how virtual babysitters advertise their services. Additionally, it’s always beneficial to spread the word in your network. Ask for references. Recommendations can help you get your foot in the door. If you check out ZipRecruiter, you’ll see that many virtual babysitting jobs last for just a few hours. This means you can fit these jobs around your day job.

Turning Side-Gigs into a Business

For inspiration and to see what’s possible, take a look at these powerful stories on ConvertKit. (ConvertKit is the program I use to manage my email list.) These are people who turned their side-gigs into a career.

Meet Glo Atanmo. She figured out how to turn her travel side-gig into a full-time career–and all while defying her parents’ expectations that she become a doctor!

Or, read about how parenting blogger, Nina Garcia, a mom with twins and a day job, found a way to turn her blog into a full-time income stream.

In both of the above cases, a side-hustle turned into a way to earn money. However, even more important, these side-gigs eventually led to careers that matched the passions of their creators.

Paying the Bills

For most of us, doing what we love sounds unrealistic. We have to pay the bills. We need to feed ourselves. But, maybe we’re selling ourselves short.

I love how Oprah Winfrey talks about how we can move from doing what doesn’t feel right to doing what does feel right. That path could begin with a side-gig.

Sell Your Services as a Business

When you’re starting a side-gig, you’re essentially setting up a little business. Most of us don’t have a clue what that involves. However, it’s not as scary as it sounds. Here’s how to get started.

Establish an LLC. A limited liability company will protect you from all business-related risks and debts. Setting one up costs less than you might think. LegalZoom charges $79 plus filing fees to get your company registered.

Hire an Accountant. Come tax season, work with an accountant to pay your dues. As an LLC, you’ll be eligible for various tax breaks which your accountant will help calculate.

Work With a Contract. You don’t want to get stiffed for work you’ve done. Before starting any gig, enter into a contract that spells out the project’s duration, compensation, renewal options, and more. If your client refuses to pay for work you’ve agreed to do, you may have to take them to small claims court. To succeed, you’ll need to show a contract. Here’s a simple work-for-hire agreement that’s free to download.

Use Invoicing Software: Using invoicing software will ensure that people pay you on time. To create a professional-looking design, use an invoice template. You can easily be customize it to include your business logo and brand colors. If you don’t have a logo, then check out LogoDesign.net. You may also want to set up a Paypal account so that you can easily get paid. Paypal has an invoice template that’s good for freelancers.

Promote Your Services

While ripe with opportunities, the freelance market is competitive. On the other hand, people looking to hire gig workers will be good for repeat business, and they will recommend you to their friends. Here are a few cost-effective ways to promote your services and land clients:

Create a Website. In addition to giving your business credibility, a website is a platform where you can pitch services, educate customers about your business, and make sales.

Make a Google Business Profile. Creating a Google profile will automatically make your business pop up on search listings and Google maps. This is a great way to reach a local audience and build a customer base.

Take Advantage of Social Media. Rather than just using social media to stay in touch with friends, take the time to post daily content on all prominent social media channels regarding your business. Developing a strong social presence will increase your business’s visibility and make it easier to secure gigs.

Benefits of a Side-Gig

If you feel caregiving is your passion, the extra income can be used toward nursing or medical school and earning a degree in healthcare. But, if it turns out that senior care feels like a dead end, then it’s time to think about what else you might do with your life. Side-gigs have a number of benefits:

You may discover an outlet for your passions and hobbies.
Side-gigs can lead to better job opportunities.
The people who employ you can teach you new skills.

As a senior caregiver looking for side-gigs, you have a lot of options. Choose side-gigs that fit your skills and time constraints. A side-gig can give you ready cash in the short term, or it can lead to a life that’s more meaningful and financially rewarding.

Yoga Is an Important Stress Reducer for Caregivers

January 31, 2022 by Marylee MacDonald

Despite what you might believe, yoga’s growing popularity isn’t limited to the young. Older adults are increasingly turning to yoga and meditation to find relief from stress and pain and restore physical function. Yoga and meditation have proven especially valuable for family caregivers, who face physical and mental health challenges that far exceed the norm.

woman in a yoga pose — Homebound caregivers can get stared with yoga by attending virtual yoga workouts through the YMCA’s SilverSneakers program.

The Challenges of Caregiving

Health problems are often common among family caregivers. Informal caregivers frequently neglect their own health while caring for a loved one. While carrying out their caregiving duties, they often face high levels of stress and find it hard to make time for themselves. Heightened stress is manageable in short spurts, but many caregivers stay in that role for several years. Self-neglect isn’t sustainable in the long-term, and mental and physical health problems frequently emerge. Statistics from the Family Caregiver Alliance show just how serious the caregiver health crisis is.

Caregiving is difficult for the person receiving care as well. Losing independence is painful, and many seniors struggle to cope with the change. This leads to depression, anxiety, and apathy in many chronically ill and disabled seniors. On top of the emotional strain, care recipients must cope with physical limitations, also a stressor.

Why Yoga and Meditation?

Yoga and meditation are highly effective at relieving stress. Practicing yoga requires minimal resources. This makes yoga and meditation ideal for seniors and caregivers. Both face high levels of mental strain, but often lack the money or time for a formal fitness program.

Yoga can be practiced three ways.

while lying on a yoga mat (If you have trouble getting up and down from the floor, start with one of the other options);

while seated in a chair or wheelchair;

or while walking.

No matter what your fitness level or flexibility, yoga will help restore your tranquility. Individuals who practice yoga and meditation feel calmer. They also learn important coping mechanisms that can restore the mind/body connection. Yoga improves physical symptoms by building strength, flexibility, and balance. It may even alleviate chronic pain.

Yoga and meditation have less obvious benefits too, especially for elderly practitioners. Yoga and meditation aid in the release of muscle tension, easing problems like teeth grinding and jaw clenching. This is important for older adults, who are more prone to pain and dysfunction in the temporomandibular joint. By relieving symptoms of stress and depression, yoga and meditation improve seniors’ executive function so they stay on top of self-care habits like dental hygiene.

Yoga and meditation benefit gut health as well. Researchers are still learning how gut health influences the body, but what they do know is this: Gut health affects more than digestion. A healthy gut plays an important role in our sense of well-being. On top of eating a healthy diet, regular exercise and stress management are some of the best ways to improve gut health — and a happy gut, in turn, promotes a sound mind.

Yoga and Meditation Tips for Beginners

Despite their many benefits, yoga and meditation are frequently absent from self-care routines. Caregivers and seniors may believe yoga and meditation are too difficult, or they may simply be unfamiliar with the practice. After all, we did not learn how to practice yoga in our high school physical education classes. However, it’s never too late to learn.

Take Advantage of Your SilverSneakers’ Benefit

Many new practitioners choose to practice yoga and meditation at home. That’s an excellent option, especially for seniors who are homebound. However, beginners to yoga and meditation benefit greatly from instruction, and if you’re a senior, it’s easy to get started. Many Medicare Advantage plans offer seniors eligibility to the SilverSneakers fitness program. This benefit grants seniors membership to gyms and YMCAs around the country.

Even better, however, SilverSneakers has live classes and workouts you can watch from home. Even if you’ve never tried yoga before, this is a perfect place to start.

Tips for Newbies

These tips will help new practitioners get started in yoga and meditation.

Find a quiet place to practice. Yoga and meditation don’t require a lot of space to practice, but they do call for a distraction-free environment. Designate a room or corner for yoga, clearing out the clutter and decorating with dim lighting, media for music and instructional videos, and yoga equipment. Set up an iPad or laptop so that you can see the screen.
Make yoga a daily practice. A few minutes of yoga or meditation set a positive tone for each day. Consistency is also the best way to form a habit.
Use props and adaptations. Balance and alignment are more important than completing a pose exactly as it’s shown in videos and books. Props and adaptive strategies such as chair yoga allow beginners and people with physical limitations to gradually increase their range of motion and avoid injury.
Remember to breathe. Breath control is central to both yoga and meditation and is key to reaping their stress-relieving benefits.
Accept that stress is part of life. With all this talk about reducing stress, we sometimes forget that a little stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing–so long as we manage it properly. ZenBusiness points out that a small amount of stress can even be a positive motivation toward creativity and focus, so long as we don’t allow stress to take on a life of its own.