At Senior Industry Services, we frequently discuss the vital role that caregivers play in the senior industry. They are the backbone of this industry, and their role is sometimes seemingly never-ending. The role of a caregiver often doesn’t end when they leave work; duties follow us wherever we go - for ourselves, our family, our homes, there’s always something that needs to be done or taken care of. All of these responsibilities can quickly pile up and become overwhelming.
Whether you’re a professional caregiver or a caregiver for a loved one, your hard work is so incredibly valued, and the care you provide is necessary and appreciated. Sometimes you may not always hear a verbal expression of gratitude, so we’d like to offer one to you now: Thank you for all that you do!
Caregiving is truly an act of love, and it has to be a calling, just like many jobs that require you to pour out so much of yourself. Because of this, you have to be aware of your “battery” levels so you don’t pour out too much and run your battery low, leading to burnout.
What is Caregiver Burnout?
Caregiver burnout occurs with physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion when you’ve been caring for someone else without enough support for yourself. It builds slowly over time, making it easy to miss until it feels unmanageable.
Because of the slow onset of caregiver burnout, it can be challenging to recognize the signs that your obligations have become too much. Caregiving is a very emotionally charged duty, so we wanted to highlight some signs that you might need extra support. Below are 9 common warning signs of caregiver burnout, according to the American Medical Association.
9 Signs it’s Time For Extra Support:
1. Feeling overwhelmed or constantly worried
2. Feeling tired often
3. Getting too much sleep or not enough sleep
4. Gaining or losing weight
5. Becoming easily irritated or angry
6. Losing interest in activities you used to enjoy (isolation)
7. Feeling sadness, resentment, guilt, or mood swings
8. Having frequent headaches, bodily pain
or other physical problems
9. Abusing alcohol or drugs, including prescription medications
If these signs feel familiar to you, just know that you aren’t alone. Burnout is common for caregivers, and it can be prevented or overcome with the proper support and resources. Taking care of another person who has a lot of needs that must be met is overwhelming and very demanding on one person. Feeling burned out doesn’t mean you don’t care about the person you’re caring for; it simply means you also need to dedicate time to care for yourself as well.
Along with caregivers and burnout, we’ve often discussed practicing self-care…but what exactly is self-care? Is it just taking a bubble bath and doing a face mask or going for a walk in nature? Sure, it can absolutely be that, but it’s also so much more. There are six types of self-care that you can model to take better care of yourself, and in turn be able to effectively take care of someone else.
The 6 Areas of Self-Care:
- Emotional – Connect, acknowledge, and process the full range of emotions through creative expression. You can do this with things like journaling, playing music, or painting.
- Practical – Look for ways you can help make your life less stressful, doing things like budgeting, organizing, or meal preparation.
- Physical – Maintaining or improving your physical health. This can be done by staying active, eating healthy, and drinking enough water.
- Mental – Keep the mind engaged and focused on something you enjoy, such as reading a book, playing games, completing a crossword puzzle, learning a language, or partaking in a new hobby.
- Social – Build and grow your relationships. Take time to meet with friends, call loved ones, or go on a date night.
- Spiritual – Nurture your spirit. For some, this could be religious, such as going to church or praying, but it could also be done through meditation or spending time in nature.
How Can I Ask For Help?
Recognizing you need some extra support is the first step, and is a huge accomplishment in and of itself. Now, how can you actually ask for help? The National Institute on Aging lists some tips for just that:
- Ask for small things at first, if that makes it easier for you. Many large jobs can be broken down into simpler tasks.
- If you aren’t comfortable asking face-to-face, send a text or email with your request.
- Consider a person’s skills and interests when thinking about how they could help.
- Be prepared with a list of things that need to be done, and let the other person choose what they’d like to do.
- If someone offers to help, practice saying, “Thanks for asking. Here’s what you can do.”
- Be honest about what you need and what you don’t need. Not every offer is going to be helpful.
- Be prepared for some people to say “no,” and don’t take it personally.
Some other resources that can help include, but are not limited to: palliative care, adult day care, and respite care.
We know that being a caregiver is rewarding but often exhausting. Here at Senior Industry Services, we are here to help you and support you in any way that we can. Whether that be help via our Senior-AI resource for finding local help, information, and advice, or reaching out to us directly, we are here to help make Central Texas the best place for seniors to age!
Written for Senior Industry Services by Lauren Hope Bartling
References:
6 types of self-care - Cedar Rapids, IA - Mercy Medical Center. (n.d.-a). https://www.mercycare.org/bhs/employee-assistance-program/eapforemployers/resources/six-types-of-self-care/
Caring for the caregiver: A guide for physicians. (n.d.-b). https://www.ama-assn.org/sites/ama-assn.org/files/corp/media-browser/public/public-health/caregiver-burnout-guide.pdf
Miller, K. (n.d.). How to prevent caregiver burnout. Prevent Caregiver Burnout With These Tools. https://www.ncoa.org/article/preventing-caregiver-burnout-tools-you-can-use/
Notarianni, E. (2025, November 11). When caring becomes overwhelming: Signs it’s time to ask for help. COHME. https://www.cohme.org/post/when-caring-becomes-overwhelming-signs-it-s-time-to-ask-for-help
Taking care of yourself: Tips for caregivers | National Institute on Aging. (n.d.-c). https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/caregiving/taking-care-yourself-tips-caregivers