When talking to other caregivers, I found a striking similarity: Many of us felt ill-equipped after our loved ones were discharged from rehab. After my husband suffered a stroke on Christmas Day in 2022, I learned firsthand what many of my clients experience each day. Once he was released from rehab, I was given my husband’s medicine, told to install grab bars in the shower for safety, add a shower chair, and was sent on my way. My well-intentioned friends also advised me to make time for myself and to exercise. Easier said than done! When a loved one’s needs are significant, caregivers become overwhelmed and burnt out. Meeting our own needs feels less urgent and maybe even impossible.

The reality? I (and many caregivers) need a different type of support: realistic solutions for protecting our energy.

Here are my 6 tips for caregivers having a tough time:

1. Make sure you have knowledge of helpful resources to ease your burden. Examples include meal delivery services, tele-health visits, medication delivery, and more.
2. Establish a routine. This helps you stay on target and keeps you organized. This is especially important when administering medication is involved.
3. Get dependable help. Whether that’s a family member or a professional, it can better help you tend to your own needs (and those of your other family members).
4. Find respite in an overnight (or longer) break. Maybe your loved one has a respite stay with an assisted living facility so you can get a full night’s rest. Maybe you take a weekend off while your other loved ones pitch in.
5. Work out a flexible plan with your employer. They may allow you to work from home or offer employee assistance.
6. Rely on your friends and family. Maybe it’s for venting or reinforcements, but you can’t do this alone. Let them be there for you.

Topics discussed:

1. Caregiver burnout
2. How to support caregivers
3. Caregiver resources
4. Social Security Disability
5. Respite
6. Employee assistance
7. Professional caregivers

Takeaways from this episode:

- Burnout can look like many things. Maybe you’re exhausted, scatterbrained, stressed, or crying more than usual. This is a sign to find support.

- Allsup is a service that can help people get Social Security Disability (SSDI). When people file on their own, it can take years for approval. Using a service like this tends to have a higher success rate.

- Know your own limits. There’s no shame in hiring help, especially if it promotes safety for your loved one.

- There are many resources for the time-pressed caregiver: meal delivery, medication delivery, tele-health, home health and more.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Get my new book, 'Surrounded by Love: One's Family Journey Through Stroke Recovery': https://loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/book

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Get your copy of my book Surrounded by Love: One Family's Journey Through Stroke Recovery:

https://amzn.to/3Y41CxA

Front Porch Pantry - healthy meals delivered to your door:

https://frontporchpantry.com/

Allsup - Expert Social Security Disability (SSDI) Help

https://www.allsup.com/

10 Strategies to combat caregiver stress from the Alzheimer's Association

https://www.loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/aging-in-style-podcast/episode/b3435120/149-replay-10-strategies-to-combat-caregiver-stress-from-the-alzheimers-association

The silent struggle of caregivers and tips to best support them

https://www.loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/aging-in-style-podcast/episode/3305a7b8/147-the-silent-struggle-of-caregivers-and-tips-to-best-support-them

144. Grieving someone who's still alive, and 3 tips to better manage it

https://www.loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/aging-in-style-podcast/episode/1f480aae/144-grieving-someone-whos-still-alive-and-3-tips-to-better-manage-it

Things to consider when a life-changing illness or accident change your life

https://www.loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/aging-in-style-podcast/episode/2c050e6a/129-things-to-consider-when-a-life-changing-illness-or-accident-changes-life-as-you-know-it

Mentioned in this episode:

Surrounded by Love

You can find my book, "Surrounded by Love: One Family’s Journey Through Stroke Recovery," on Amazon. It is available as a Kindle, hardcover, paperback, and also on Audible. More details can be found on my website:

https://loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/book