
Caregiver Burnout
Caregiving for family members with cancer can take an emotional and physical toll. Yet few caregivers are screened for distress or connected to resources.
When a loved one has cancer, the diagnosis can become all-consuming. For the main family caregiver, whether a spouse, parent, child, sibling or close friend, it can be all too easy to set one’s needs to the side to focus on the person with cancer.
National Family Caregivers Month, observed every November, is a good time to remember that caregivers’ needs matter, too.
“Caregivers often think they're being selfish if they take time for themselves, but it's really important that they do because they will be better prepared, less anxious and be a better caregiver if they can take good care of themselves,” said Katherine Sterba, Ph.D. She’s a researcher at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center who focuses on supportive care transitions for cancer survivors and their caregivers.
The basics are important: good sleep, exercise and a healthy diet.
There are often additional worries that come with a cancer diagnosis: financial strain, worries about the treatment outcome or the cancer returning and even concerns about the physical aspect of caregiving.
“Caregivers often hide their concerns from the loved one they're caring for because they want to shield them from additional worry, so it’s just another way that they're isolated,” she said.
She outlined some suggestions for caregivers:
For more resources for caregivers, Sterba recommended Cancer Care, the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute.
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