Nearly one in three U.S. adults serves as the primary caregiver to a relative or other close loved one.1 With respite facilities throughout the country closed or operating on restricted hours as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many family caregivers are under even more strain than normal. What can caregivers do to cope? Read on for five tips and tricks that can help combat caregiver burnout while remaining mindful of the ongoing pandemic.
Plan Ahead
If you or someone in your household contracts COVID-19, do you have a plan? Having wills and advance directives in place can make a difficult decision a little easier and reduce the decision making burden on surviving family members. And having a plan in place for what will happen if the caregiver, patient, or someone else in the household must be quarantined or contracts COVID-19 can ease your worries and provide peace of mind that you have things covered no matter what.
Contact Respite Care
Everyone needs a break, especially when the entire world seems to be under lockdown. Seek out and research local respite care facilities to provide yourself with a break to decompress, run errands, or simply relax with a book. Having some respite care contacts on hand is more important now than ever, as respite care may have to step in after a caregiver contracts COVID-19.
Revisit Your Sanitation Procedures
If you rely on other in-home care providers (including home health nurses, occupational therapists, or housekeepers), it's important to stay on top of sanitation. Not only can this minimize the risk to household members, but it can also protect those who are just visiting. Be sure to have disposable masks on hand (if you don't already) along with hand sanitizer, antibacterial cleaning wipes, and perhaps even gloves.
Seek Support Online
Caregiving can be especially isolating, and without the day-to-day interactions that were common in pre-COVID life, this isolation can deepen. You may not know many other caregivers you can talk to about the unique pressures you're facing these days. Consider joining an online support group or chat room where other caregivers can provide advice or commiserate about challenges.
Take Advantage of Technology
The pandemic has led to a boom in the amount of unique online content. If you and your loved one are beginning to feel stir-crazy after spending months indoors, check out some new content to break up the monotony. Take advantage of technology like TikTok to learn about the latest trends, collaborate and communicate with people across the globe, and ward off feelings of isolation by being part of a creative effort.
Important Disclosures:
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
This information is not intended to be a substitute for individualized legal advice. Please consult your legal advisor regarding your specific situation.
All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however LPL Financial makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy.
1 https://caregiveraction.org/resources/caregiver-statistics