Love and Burnout
Caregivers, or care partners, play a vital role in supporting loved ones who need help due to age, illness, disability, or other challenges. Though rewarding, caregiving can be demanding – between assisting with daily routines, meals, medications, finances, and transportation, little time may remain for a break. For this reason, studies show that more than 60% of individuals who assist friends or family in this way experience symptoms of burnout. Here, we speak with three senior assistance providers and facilities in Chattanooga about the warning signs of caregiver burnout, preventing and recovering from burnout, and the resources available to help.
Caregiver Burnout and Its Symptoms
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 1 in 5 U.S. adults acts as a care partner to family members or friends with a chronic health condition or disability. Of those care partners, nearly 1 in 4 assists their loved ones for more than 40 hours a week.
Over time, assisting a loved one can lead to physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion – what experts call caregiver burnout. Director of operations at CHI Memorial Health at Home, Bethany Taylor, says that burnout is often slow and unassuming at first.
“In real life, caregiver burnout doesn’t arrive all at once,” she says. “It creeps up on you. We have seen it present as persistent worry or sadness, irritability, trouble concentrating, and feeling ‘numb.’ Physically, it looks like poor sleep, fatigue, headaches, more colds, or flare-ups of asthma/COPD. Behaviorally, it’s withdrawing from friends, skipping your own appointments, or eating on the run. Care partners also report more frequent mental distress and higher rates of diagnosed depression than non-caregivers. Several physical conditions – like obesity, asthma, COPD, and arthritis – have been found to be more common among caregivers as well.”
It’s important to note that burnout can look different for everyone. Additional caregiver burnout symptoms to watch for include:
- Loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed
- Feeling hopeless and helpless
- Irritability, frustration, or anger toward others
The Impacts
Over long durations, caregiving can increase the risk of burnout and other health issues. Time constraints often cause care partners to delay check-ups, treatment, or care for their own mental health. Ultimately, this impacts their overall health and reduces the quality of life for them and their loved ones.
Beth Janney, corporate director of memory care at Morning Pointe Senior Living, says setting realistic care partner standards helps to protect your mental and physical health, especially in challenging care environments.
“When unpredictable challenges occur, it’s unrealistic to think that the care partner is going to react perfectly and make perfect decisions,” she explains. “Realize that negative reactions from the person you are caring for may stem from their frustration, anger, and disappointment in their own condition; and, even though they express these negative emotions to you, it may not truly be because of you and your care. Give yourself grace. Recognize that you are doing the best you can within the circumstances that you have been given.”
Compassion Fatigue
In addition to burnout, Janney adds that care partners can also experience compassion fatigue.
“Compassion fatigue occurs when the care partner becomes overwhelmed by the suffering of the person they care for and by the all-consuming responsibility of providing care – whether it’s hands-on, personal care or managing care from a distance – and it can come on more quickly than burnout,” she says. “The emotional symptoms of compassion fatigue include reduced feelings of sympathy or empathy for the person being cared for and feeling guilty about those feelings; dreading taking care of someone and feeling guilty about it; feeling disconnected; and a reduced sense of accomplishment or meaning in providing care.”
If you begin to feel resentment towards the person you’re caring for, experts recommend that you reach out for help immediately.
Preventing and Recovering From Burnout
According to Nancy Frank, co-owner of Visiting Angels Chattanooga, a senior living assistance service, care partners can only care for others effectively by prioritizing their own mental, emotional, and physical well-being. “I’ve heard so many family members say, ‘I should be able to do this myself,’” Frank explains. “They feel guilty for feeling exhausted or overwhelmed. But we remind them that on every airline flight we are told that in case of an emergency, we should put on our own oxygen mask before helping others with theirs. You have to take care of yourself in order to care for your loved one.”
To avoid caregiver burnout and ensure a supportive environment for both care partners and their loved ones, experts recommend these proactive self-care tips:
- Schedule personal time: Recharge with short walks, reading, or hobbies.
- Celebrate small wins: Acknowledge daily achievements for motivation.
- Delegate and accept help: Let others assist with care and tasks.
- Seek emotional support: Speak with friends, family, or a counselor.
- Exercise and rest: Stay active and get six to eight hours of sleep.
- Stay organized: Use reminders, calendars, and prescription logs.
- Practice stress relief: Try deep breathing, meditation/prayer, or journaling.
- Inform your doctor: Tell them you’re a caregiver for added support.
- Explore respite options: Look into senior daycares or local care services.
For care partners currently experiencing burnout, it’s vital to be honest about your condition, as well as immediately take time off to recharge. When doing so, Frank says not to feel guilty.
“Setting boundaries can feel like a betrayal of your caregiving role, but boundaries are a natural and healthy part of life,” she says. “Just like in a regular job, we don’t feel guilty on our days off and we shouldn’t feel guilty for needing help and time off when caring for loved ones. It’s not selfish – it’s actually responsible. Recharging ultimately creates better care.”
Resources for Caregivers
Being a care partner can feel lonely at times, but many programs seek to offer support and respite. By prioritizing self-care and using these resources, caregiving can become less stressful and more meaningful. “At the end of the day, the purpose of a caregiver is to simply ‘be present’ when you can and aim to offer love (not just ‘care’),” Taylor finishes. “The biggest things to remember are that your health is also part of the care plan and you are not alone.”
In-Home and Assisted Care Options
- Home Health Care (Medicare-Covered): Traditional Medicare plans may cover home health services through providers like CHI Memorial Health at Home, offering skilled nursing, physical/occupational/speech therapy, social work visits, and phone support.
- Private Home Care Services: Home care services like Visiting Angels can provide care on an as-needed or 24/7 basis, including personal care, light housekeeping, meal preparation, medication reminders, transportation, and companionship.
- Assisted Living and Memory Care: Assisted living and memory care communities such as Morning Pointe Senior Living can provide compassionate, residential care. Morning Pointe’s nonprofit foundation also hosts regular caregiver support events.
Bethany Taylor, BS, MS, OT/L, CDCES
Director of Operations,
CHI Memorial Health at Home
Beth Janney, RN, MBA, CRRN, CDP, CADDCT
Corporate Director of Memory Care,
Morning Pointe Senior Living
Nancy Frank
Co-Owner,
Visiting Angels Chattanooga
Living Assistance Services
Meet the Author
Abby Callahan, BA
Abby Callahan is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Spanish and the distinction of Cum Laude. She also graduated Magna Cum Laude from Chattanooga State Community College, earning honors through the Global Scholars Honors Program. Prior to joining CMC Media & Marketing Group as editor/digital content specialist, Abby successfully fulfilled roles in marketing and event planning, as well as strategic communications and storytelling for a wide variety of initiatives. Today, Abby leads ideation, conceptualization, and development of numerous health, wellness, business, sports, and lifestyle articles published in print and online for HealthScope®, CityScope®, and Choose Chattanooga® magazines – premier publications serving S.E. Tennessee and North Georgia.
