In recognition of Stress Awareness Month (April 2022), Belmont Village Senior Living recently hosted a webinar by Dr. Justin Allen, M.D., which focused on the stress of being a caregiver. Amongst the detrimental facets of stress discussed, the webinar addressed burnout, which is a major challenge as caregivers learn how to cope with and manage stress. These topics are very near and dear to Dr. Allen, as he is the Medical Director at Tembo Health and a Board-Certified emergency physician with years of experience caring for seniors and caregivers whose stress and anxiety associated with caregiving have often resulted in their own challenges and issues.

“Being a caregiver is a unique type of stress, so it’s important to recognize what is stressful and use all available resources to minimize that stress,” says Dr. Allen. “Don’t take it all on yourself. The biggest thing I see again and again is caregivers putting so much responsibility on themselves that they ignore their own health. Remember, you can’t be helpful to someone else if you are ill or in distress yourself.”

Stress is a physiological response to a stressor that’s built into our DNA – the “fight or flight” reactions enabled by the physical changes caused by an adrenaline rush. The perpetual state of stress without a stressor is called anxiety, which can keep us in a constant heightened state of awareness. We are not mentally or physically built to handle prolonged anxiety, which can have a host of detrimental effects. Stress is linked to the top ten causes of death, including heart disease, cancer, accidents, stroke, C.O.P.D., Alzheimer’s, diabetes, pneumonia, kidney disease, and, lately, COVID-19.

Caregivers are often family members or friends that are unexpectedly placed in the role of caring for an ailing loved one without any kind of financial compensation or warning. One in three caregivers has no background in healthcare, and 60% of caregivers maintain a full-time job outside of their caregiver role. Some of the sources of caregiver stress include the uncertainty of how long one will have to fill the role, what to expect, lack of knowledge and understanding due to lack of healthcare background, constant pressure when attempting to fill multiple roles (caregiver, employee, parent, spouse, etc.). Rapidly changing family dynamics, new and unexpected financial burdens, and feelings of loneliness, isolation, and jealousy are all ongoing causes of stress for caregivers.

There are significant physical and mental indicators of caregiver stress, which include changes in sleep patterns, weight loss/gain, chronic pain, substance abuse, becoming easily irritated or angry, feeling sad, tired, overwhelmed, and/or worried, and losing interest in one’s favorite activities. It’s crucial for caregivers to manage stress, both for their own well-being and that of the one being cared for. A caregiver who fails to prioritize their own health may be forced to end their caregiving role, leaving a loved one uncared for or transferring the responsibility to others who are even less equipped or prepared for such an undertaking. However, there are several ways caregivers can work to reduce their own stress levels:

• Being proactive and organized when it comes to planning, talking with loved ones and professionals about expectations, creating a set schedule, and having backup care can help reduce stress.
• Don’t shoulder all the burden: find community resources and support groups and consider assisted living options.
• Seek out experts and ask questions, including a list of questions for doctors.
• Use new technologies, such as telemedicine, whenever possible.
• Ask other family members to share the caregiving responsibility when feeling overwhelmed.
• Utilize “Respite Care”, which often amounts to short stays at a senior living community that is appropriate for their care needs. These short respite stays can allow caregivers the help and relief they need when they are overwhelmed. The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) can also be helpful when taking leave is needed.
• Know your boundaries and set priorities for your own health and well-being.

Being cared for can also result in stress. Relocation Stress Syndrome, for example, is commonly experienced when an individual moves from one environment to another and is often seen in seniors whose care environment has changed. Factors like changes in their environment, loss of physical mobility, cognitive decline, and loss of social connections can result in a loved one’s mental, emotional, and physical decline – often making it harder for the caregiver to help. For a caregiver, understanding these forces may help, and seeking out resources to assist can take some of the burden and stress off the caregiver.

For many caregivers experiencing stress over their ability to provide adequate at-home care for a loved one, best-in-class assisted living communities with robust memory care programming, like those of Belmont Village Senior Living, can provide the help and support that both they and their loved one need. Such a community can provide the on-site health care, enrichment programs, engaging activities, and social engagement that promote a senior’s physical and mental wellbeing overall, so caregivers can ensure that their loved ones are receiving quality care in the hands of well-trained staff while receiving peace of mind themselves.

“Stress is a huge component of our everyday lives and impacts us all, so it’s important to recognize moments that can be stressful as caregivers and be sure to prioritize our own health and reach out to the many resources available so that we can provide the care needed for our loved ones,” adds Dr. Allen.

Download the Seniors & Stress: Causes and Management Techniques for Seniors and Family webinar recording here: https://www.belmontvillage.com/webinar/seniors-and-stress/

About Dr. Justin Allen

Dr. Allen is board-certified in Emergency Medicine and has practiced in a variety of hospitals ranging from urban cities to rural communities and academic institutions to free-standing hospitals for over 13 years. Dr. Allen is well suited to ensure that patients not only get the urgent care they need but the holistic care they deserve. As an emergency physician, he has cared for every age group — especially seniors — in almost every specialty. Dr. Allen earned his medical degree at the University of Oklahoma and completed his residency at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, where he served as Chief Resident.

About Belmont Village Senior Living

Founded in Houston in 1997, Belmont Village is an integrated developer, owner, and operator of 31 first-tier independent, assisted living, and award-winning memory care communities for older adults across eight states in the U.S. and Mexico. With more than 4,000 employees, Belmont Village communities are renowned for distinctive design, high standards of life, safety, quality of care, and leading-edge, award-winning programs. Belmont Village is certified as a Great Place to Work® and has been ranked since 2018 as one of FORTUNE Magazine’s 50 Best Workplaces for Aging Services. Learn more about Belmont Village Senior Living at www.belmontvillage.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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