This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Rebecca Kilpatrick about navigating caregiver burnout. Dr. Kilpatrick is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry, Division of Bio-Behavioral Medicine at MUSC.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. It's estimated that more than 60% of caregivers who are providing care for a loved one with declining health, illness, or injury struggle with overwhelming stress and exhaustion. Doctor Rebecca Kilpatrick is here to provide strategies for navigating caregiver burnout. Doctor Kilpatrick is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, and she's a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry, Division of Biobehavioral medicine at MUSC. Doctor Kilpatrick, tell us more details about caregiver burnout.
Dr. Kilpatrick: Caregiver burnout is when the caregiver becomes overwhelmed by the stress of caring for another person, such that it begins to negatively affect their own well-being.
Conner: And what are the symptoms, typically of caregiver burnout?
Dr. Kilpatrick: When we think about caregiver burnout, there's really four kinds of categories of symptoms. You have physical symptoms, things like fatigue, sleep problems, changes in weight or appetite, for example. Then you might have emotional symptoms like irritability, sadness, excessive guilt, nervousness or anxiousness. And then you have cognitive symptoms, things like changes in memory, attention, emotional exhaustion or racing thoughts. And finally you might have behavioral symptoms. This might include things like becoming snappy or short tempered with others, being withdrawn or isolated. And then changes in the way that you take care of yourself, like changes in eating patterns, physical activity or hygiene.
Conner: And what's the potential impact for the caregiver regarding his or her own health if this situation continues long term?
Dr. Kilpatrick: When caregiver stress or burnout is unmanaged, the caregiver can become at risk for some mental health conditions of their own things like depression, anxiety, and then secondarily, their caregiving for their loved one can also become impacted. So it's sort of a double edged sword where in an effort to care really well for their loved one, they become so exhausted and stressed out that they're actually unable to provide the care that that loved one needs.
Conner: And what are some strategies for navigating caregiver burnout so that this doesn't become overwhelming?
Dr. Kilpatrick: My number one strategy is to proactively schedule respite for yourself. So, this might mean a night, a weekend, or a week away from your caregiving duties. And when possible, I recommend doing this on a regular rhythm, whether it be once a week, once a month, once a quarter. And then secondly, trying to find some ways to take a break while you're in the moment of caregiving. So physically, you could walk away for a few minutes, going on a walk or even just sitting outdoors. And if you can't physically remove yourself trying to find ways to take a mental break. So that could be downloading a relaxation app on your phone to do some deep breathing or mindfulness exercises. Or, to tap into some creative outlets like coloring, listening to music, or doing some sort of craft with your hands so that you can take a break mentally, even if you can't do so physically.
Conner: How can a caregiver get the support that they need from others?
Dr. Kilpatrick: Support is one of the best ways of dealing with caregiver burnout, but it can be stressful in and of itself getting support. So, I suggest that you make a list of your support needs, whether it be grocery shopping, meals, respite caregiving, housekeeping chores, or pet care. And then when someone says, let me know if you need anything, you can go ahead and assign a task from your list that you've already made.
Conner: Doctor Kilpatrick, thanks for this information about navigating caregiver burnout.
Dr. Kilpatrick: You're welcome.
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
