Avoiding Holiday Burnout for Caregivers

What is supposed to be a joy-filled season, can feel incredibly stressful for friends and family members providing in-home care for a loved one. The pressure to create the perfect holiday experience on top of the day-to-day activities that come with caring for someone with long-term illness, dealing with surgical recovery, or advanced aging limitations can feel overwhelming. Join AmeriCare as we explore a few ways to ease the holiday burden for the caregivers in our lives.

Help Simplify Holiday Activities

When it comes to the holidays, it can feel like an “all or nothing” race. Decorations, gifts, traditions, food, events – there are so many things to think about when planning for the holidays. This year, take some time to identify those in your life that may be providing full or part-time care for a loved one and reach out. Discuss taking a minimal approach to some holiday traditions. Rather than putting up all their decorations, select a single room to decorate or choose just those most meaningful, and decorate together. Instead of preparing a large family meal, help do some research to see what restaurants in the area are offering catered packages. Rather than hand writing holiday cards, help create an eCard to send via email.

Start New Traditions

Instead of hosting friends and family, preparing a series of meals, and planning gifts for everyone, help the personal caregiver in your life set up a virtual alternative. Consider using video chat platforms like Facetime or Zoom to set up remote holiday celebrations. This will limit preparation and allow the caregiver to focus on smaller tasks. Remind caregivers that it is not their sole responsibility to create the perfect holiday, but rather, that everyone can help in making your celebration successful.

Hire a Respite Caregiver to Provide Intermittent Wellness Breaks

Providing full or part-time care for a loved one can feel draining. Continuously taking on the emotional, physical, and functional needs of another person is no easy feat. Pair that with regular holiday stressors and it’s likely to cause burnout. This year, consider gifting the caregiver in your life a series of respite care sessions. This would allow a professional caregiver to take over these responsibilities for a period of time, allowing your friend or family member some much-needed time to recover and focus on their own health and wellbeing. Whether planning a few sessions throughout the holiday season, or creating a regular schedule, offering these intermittent breaks will help those providing regular care have the opportunity to recuperate. For more information on respite care, read our article Why Do Caregivers Need a Break?

Finding the Right Respite Caregiver

At AmeriCare, we can connect you or your loved one with a professional caregiver to match your unique needs and lifestyle. We screen all our in-home caregivers, verify all certifications, and go through a rigorous vetting process to ensure each and every caregiver on our rosters will handle every care situation with respect, dignity, expertise, and professionalism.