Tips to Combat Alzheimer's Caregiver Burnout

If you're caring for someone with Alzheimer's, remember that you need care too. If you're feeling impatient, angry, or resentful, you could be burning out. Caregiving for someone with Alzheimer's is tough. Don't forget about yourself because that's not good for either of you. Help is out there.

Hit the internet and search for local resources that can help shift some of the responsibility like adult daycare, help with bathing, help with meals. And while you're at it, find support for yourself. Get other family members involved. Find caregiver support groups who share your challenges and can talk them through with you. Look for news you can use through national Alzheimer's organizations and foundations.

Make time to meditate. Relaxation techniques can help your distress and find the resilience to carry you through the day. Exercise helps mentally as well as physically. Don't forget about it.

Go for a walk. Whatever gets you going, go do it. You don't have to be on duty 24/7. You are not only one thing. You are a caregiver and a spouse, a caregiver and a friend.

Don't go it alone when you need help, ask. Have a list of go-to folks who can step in from time to time or be a shoulder to lean on. If you need a professional ear, seek out a therapist or counselor who knows the territory. For all the challenges that caring for an Alzheimer's patient presents, some people find great satisfaction in providing help and love for someone in need. Seek that place, but also find space for yourself.