Skip to page content
Home — The Osborn — Options for Living
  • Independent LivingExpand Independent Living section
  • Assisted LivingExpand Assisted Living section
  • Skilled NursingExpand Skilled Nursing section
  • Memory CareExpand Memory Care section
  • RehabilitationExpand Rehabilitation section
  • Home CareExpand Home Care section
  • About
  • News/Media
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Residents
  • Show Phone Menu 888-967-2676 888-9-OSBORN
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Careers
Menu
  • About
  • News/Media
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Residents
  • Show Phone Menu 888-967-2676 888-9-OSBORN
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Careers
Show Phone Menu 888-967-2676 888-9-OSBORN
Contact
Donate
Careers
Menu
Home
  • Independent Living
  • Assisted Living
  • Skilled Nursing
  • Memory Care
  • Rehabilitation
  • Home Care
  • About
  • News/Media
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Residents
  • Show Phone Menu 888-967-2676 888-9-OSBORN
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Careers
Show Form
Call Us
  • Main number
    914-925-8000
  • Toll-free
    888-9-OSBORN
    or 888-967-2676
  • Independent Living
    888-392-7058
  • Assisted Living
    888-458-2403
  • Skilled Nursing / Short-Term Rehab
    888-618-1101
  • Long Term Care
    888-735-8524
  • Memory Care
    888-794-2644
  • Home Care Westchester County
    888-813-6782
  • Home Care Fairfield County
    888-594-0957
  • Miriam's Attic Shop
    914-925-8626
Independent Living
  • Overview
  • Garden Homes
  • Apartments
  • Amenities
  • WellSpring
Assisted Living
  • Overview
  • Studio, 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments
Skilled Nursing
  • Overview
  • Long-Term Care
  • Respite Care
Memory Care
  • Overview
  • H.O.P.E. Center
Rehabilitation
  • Overview
  • Short-Term Rehabilitation
  • Outpatient Rehabilitation
Home Care
  • Overview
  • 5-Star Care
  • Westchester County, NY
  • Fairfield County, CT
  • FAQ
  • Resources
About
  • Overview
  • Welcome Letter from our CEO
  • Leadership
  • Board of Trustees
  • Schedule a Tour
  • History & Mission
  • Accreditations
  • Community Map
  • FAQ
  • Virtual Tour
News/Media
  • Latest News
  • Events
  • The Osborn Blog
  • Marketing Materials
  • Podcasts
  • Photo Galleries
  • Media Inquiries
Residents
  • Overview
  • Free Entertainment / Streaming
  • Dining
  • Testimonials
  • Wellspring Cafe Store
  • Visitor Information
Donate
  • Overview
  • Make a Donation
  • Overview
  • Garden Homes
  • Apartments
  • Amenities
  • WellSpring
  • Overview
  • Studio, 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments
  • Overview
  • Long-Term Care
  • Respite Care
  • Overview
  • H.O.P.E. Center
  • Overview
  • Short-Term Rehabilitation
  • Outpatient Rehabilitation
  • Overview
  • 5-Star Care
  • Westchester County, NY
  • Fairfield County, CT
  • FAQ
  • Resources
Contact Us Today! Phone Directory
Page Content
Back to Blog
Previous Post Next Post

Self Care for Caregivers

November 1, 2019
caregiver for senior parent

~ by Jennifer Christensen

When Betsy’s Dad fell, she moved in with her parents to help out around the house and make sure they were taking their medications and getting proper meals.  With a full time job to manage, what started out as a good deed soon became overwhelming as her parents’ health declined.   

The Cost of Compassion 

It is our nature to care for loved ones and, for many of us, it brings great satisfaction. Empathy and compassion are desirable character qualities, present in people to varying degrees. These enable us to identify, and in some cases, actually experience the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of others we care about.

Compassion can come with an emotional cost when caring for someone with a long-term illness. The distress resulting from the constant demands of caring for another, consistently witnessing pain or cognitive decline, can have serious consequences.

In the book, “Overcoming Compassion Fatigue,” author Sharise M. Nance, LCW, CCTP, details how caregiver burnout can manifest itself in exhaustion, depression, apathy, and even physical or emotional disability. “People in ‘helping professions’ are regularly exposed to a range of emotions, from hope to dread, from gratitude to anger, from patience to frustration, and from grief to sorrow.” 

One elderly woman had experienced several falls. She lives with her husband who is in advancing stage of dementia. He wakes up several times each night, turns the lights on and gets dressed. Each time, she has to wake up and guide him back to bed often unable to sleep herself. Before getting help, she found herself exhausted, discouraged, and at a greater risk for additional falls.

Some caregivers can internalize the issues of those under their watch, hoping by some herculean effort to fix everything. The sense of responsibility can become disproportionately burdensome and they may lose perspective about what they can and cannot do. This is particularly daunting when a patient has dementia and cannot communicate effectively, or acts out physically.

Making a Plan for Self Care 

Prolonged stress is associated with distinct physiological responses that can have long term effects on both physical and emotional health. Often referred to as the fight, flight or freeze response, these chemical reactions are effective in urgent, life-threatening situations, but not sustainable over time.  

Ms. Nance noted several emotional states that can accompany caregiver stress:

  • Guilt:  A sense of being responsible for the illness
  • Anger: Frustration with family members or health care workers
  • Sadness: Loss of the person as they once were
  • Fatigue: Exhaustion from extra work and irregular sleep
  • Apathy: Lack of energy to keep up with needed tasks 

When these emotions arise, it can be a signal that the caregiver needs to take better care of themselves in order to do what is needed to care for their loved one. If you are in this situation, here are a few suggestions that might help: 

  1. Pace yourself: Take advantage of family or friends who offer to help. Home Care agencies like Osborn Home Care can provide a companion or home health aide for a few hours a day to take on the more challenging tasks.

  2. Set boundaries: Make it clear to the patient and family members what you can and cannot do.

  3. Seek support: Many churches or senior centers offer support groups for caregivers. While it may not alleviate the challenges you are facing, it can be helpful to know how others are coping. 

  4. Create a self-care plan: As impossible as it might seem, you need a plan for exercise, sleep and proper nutrition. If you are a spiritual person, spending time in prayer or meditation can be helpful.  

“Self-care is not a selfish act, but a necessity and priority,” writes Ms. Nance.

Even health care professionals can become overwhelmed at times. Osborn Home Care employs 380 home health aides and homemaker companions serving clients in Westchester and Fairfield Counties. “As a licensed home care agency, we are vigilant about providing support to our caregivers," said Michele Thomas, Executive Vice President of Osborn Home Care. "We encourage them practice their own self-care so they can provide the best possible care and attention to our client”

Caring for another person can be a gift but also a burden. Anyone in that role has to be mindful of the potential risks, and remember to monitor their own well-being at times, too. 

More Posts

  • Gaining Wisdom About Porous Bones

    May 15, 2022

    ~ by Carol Vartuli

    Many things get better with age: Cabernet, Parmigiano-Reggiano and classic movies like Casablanca.

  • You MAY, or MAY Not, Be Allergic

    May 1, 2022

    ~ by Carol Vartuli

    "Aaaaaaaah-choo! "

    If that sounds like you, your eyes are itchy and your nose is runny, you may among more than 50 million Americans with allergic rhinitis.

  • Is Home Care Right for Mom or Dad?

    April 15, 2022

    ~ by Richard Sgaglio

    As we age we still want our independence. Many older Americans are choosing to stay in their homes longer and “age in place.” This trend allows people to remain in their family home surrounded by...

More From the Blog
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • Independent Living
  • Assisted Living
  • Skilled Nursing
  • Memory Care
  • Rehabilitation
  • Home Care
  • About
  • News/Media
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Residents
  • Show Phone Menu 888-967-2676 888-9-OSBORN
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Careers
US News Best Nursing Homes - Long-Term Care 2021-22 US News Best Nursing Homes - Short-Term Rehabilitation 2021-22 Digital Health Awards Winner - Spring 2020
The Osborn 101 Theall Rd Rye, NY 10580 914-925-8000
© 2022 The Osborn All Rights Reserved Privacy Policy
The Osborn is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
ADA
EHO
CARF-CCAC
Site by Piszko