As we welcome May, we also celebrate “Family Caregiver Month” and the very important role that caregivers play in the lives of those they care for.   In Canada, one in four Canadians (7.8 million people) report caring for a family member who has a disability, a long-term condition or experiences health challenges associated with aging   (Statistics Canada General Social Survey, 2018)

Caregiving can provide many benefits for caregivers such as an increased sense of meaning and purpose in one’s life, the ability to give back to a loved one, improved self-confidence and an increase in the release of dopamine, aka the “feel good hormone”.  While caregiving can be very rewarding, it can also be challenging and at times have a negative impact on the physical and mental health of caregivers.   As with other helping professions, caregivers can also experience burnout and compassion fatigue.  A few signs to look out for that may indicate you are experiencing burnout include:

• A loss of pleasure in things you used to enjoy
• Recurrent and intense feelings of anger, guilt, sadness or fear
• Being irritable
• Difficulty sleeping
• Sudden changes in weight
• Decreased immunity (i.e getting sick often)
• Difficulty concentrating
• Headaches and body aches
• Increase in substance use 

Many of us have heard the analogy “you can’t pour from an empty cup” and this is especially true for caregivers who spend a lot of time giving to others.  It is important then to remember that if we are not tuning into our own mental and physical needs, it can be very difficult to have the strength and compassion to give to others.  As a caregiver, it can be hard to find the time to take time of yourself, or perhaps you even feel a sense of guilt in doing so.  It is important to remember however that caring for yourself is not only important for you, but also for the loved ones that you care for.  A few ways that caregivers may consider caring for themselves and addressing caregiver burnout include:

• Making time for leisure and self-care activities
• Asking for and accepting help from others
• Getting enough rest and adequate nutrition
• Moving your body daily (go for a walk, practice yoga, go on a bike ride)
• Exploring available resources
• Sharing your feelings with others
• Taking care of your own health by ensuring you are scheduling your own health appointments
• Seeking support from other caregivers
• Joining a Caregivers Support Group

Lastly, while self-care is very important for caregivers, it is not the only factor to consider when dealing with caregiver stress and burnout.  In their book, The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook, Dr. Kristin Neff and Dr. Christopher Germer note that it is important that we remember to give ourselves compassion when experiencing the empathic pain that comes with seeing a loved one in pain.  In fact, when we see others in pain it can activate the pain centers in our own brain.   This can create a lot of discomfort within ourselves and so it can be a common practice to try to avoid these feelings or push through them without giving ourselves compassion.  When we do this however we are more likely to become overwhelmed.  Instead, next time you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or challenged while caregiving, you may consider offering yourself the following self-compassionate words “this is difficult” “I am doing the best that I can do” and “I give myself unconditional love”.

            As we welcome May, we celebrate and honour all of the wonderful caregivers and the positive impact that they make on the lives of those around them.  As a caregiver, I invite you to take time this month to offer yourself some self-care and self-compassion… because caregivers need CARE too!

Jessica Pyc, MSW RSW

Interfaith Counselling Centre