Helpline: How to avoid carer burnout

Caring for others often means putting your own needs on the back burner but you can’t give your best if you're running on empty. Self-care is crucial to avoid burnout and stay healthy. 

This episode has tips to help you find time for yourself while in the chaos of caring. 

If you’d like personalised support, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. You can call 24 hours a day, or request a callback, start a webchat or send an email with whatever is on your mind. 

To hear how other carers are managing their self-care, you can listen to this episode of Hold The Moment]  

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios.  

Follow Dementia Australia on Facebook and Instagram or find support resources on our website. 

This episode was hosted by Jim Rogers and Kristin, a National Dementia Helpline Advisor. It was produced by Luci McAfee. Executive producers are Gia Moylan and Kellie Riordan. 

The National Dementia Helpline is funded by the Australian Government.   

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. 

Dementia Australia acknowledges and appreciates the support of the Australian Government for this initiative. 

 

Episode Transcript

(00:05):
- When you are busy caringfor others, it's easy
to put your own needs last.
But you can't pour from an empty cup.
That's why having a self-caretoolkit is so essential.
Whether it's talking to aprofessional, leaning on friends,
or joining a peer group, itcan make all the difference
with managing stress and staying healthy.

(00:29):
Hi, I'm Jim Rogers, andthis is Hold The Moment.
A podcast by people living
with dementia and their families.
And in this short bonus episode,
you'll hear a few tips froman advisor on the
National Dementia Helpline.
They're available 24 hoursa day, every day of the year.

(00:49):
If you call, you'll speak toan advisor, just like Kristen.
- As a carer, you might feel guilty about
setting time apart for yourself.
But sometimes, those fewminutes, or few hours
or few weeks break, isexactly what you need

(01:10):
to keep your health on track.
To keep your heart on track.
And to be able to continue to connect
with your loved one who'sliving with dementia.
You might find, that there areso many demands on your time.
So many things that feellike they have to get done.
And it can be really difficult

(01:31):
to carve out time for yourself.
One of the things that we find,
is that you really can't be your best self
unless you do take care of you.
And that doesn't mean that youspend a whole day at the spa.
Very few of us have time for that.
But if you can schedule it in, you should.
Sometimes, looking after yourself,

(01:53):
is one hour, every week, having lunch
with your best friends.
Maybe, it's going for a half an hour
walk to the dog park, eventhough you don't have a dog.
Some days, it might just be
one five minute cup of tea.

(02:15):
Another tip for caregivers is to try
to remember your own health appointments.
You might be so good at making sure
that your loved one is gettingto all of the appointments
that they need to ontime, that you'll forget
to book yourself into the dentist.
Or, for the checkup thatyou need with the doctor.
Really try to set aside that time,

(02:36):
so that you can takecare of yourself as well.
There are a number of different things
that you might find work foryou, to take some time out
and help you feel better.
Some carers find attendinga support group with others
who are caring for a loved one living with
dementia, is a greatway to make connections

(02:57):
and to get a break.
Other people find it reallyhelpful to talk one-on-one.
If you'd like to speak toanother person who's caring
for a loved one living with dementia,
Dementia Australia hasa 'Peer Connect' program
that might work really well for you.

(03:17):
Another thing that you might find,
is that you're increasinglyirritated, worried,
frustrated, and you can'treally put your finger on why.
It's like so much ofyour day is spent caring
for other people and doingthings, that you've forgotten
to take a minute to thinkabout what you need.

(03:38):
You might have skipped a meal.
You might have forgottento drink water all day.
Or not even stopped to take a breath.
If that's somethingthat's happening for you.
You might find that you'regetting sick more often
than you used to.
Or you aren'tfinding joy in the things
that you used to really love.
All of those things are things

(03:59):
that carers can sometimes experience,
because the role of caringcan take a lot from them.
If you called me on the helpline
and we were talking about
what it was like in your carerrole, I might describe it
as having one of those bighiking backpacks on your back.
And you've packed everythingin it that you think you need.

(04:21):
And as you're hiking along,you just think, "this is
what I need, this is what I need."
And then when you stop for a break,
and you take off the bag, you realise
how much your back hurts, how heavy it is.
You might decide to take a lookat what's in your backpack.
Is everything theresomething that you need?

(04:43):
Could you rearrange it
so the heavy thingswere in a different spot
where they could be more well supported?
Have you got a friendthat's hiking with you
that could carry your load for a bit?
The same thing is true as a carer.
It is okay to take a break.
It is okay to rearrange the things

(05:03):
that you're juggling inyour day-to-day life.
It's also okay to ask for help.
- Dementia Australia's helplineis available 24 hours a day.
Every day of the year.
Call them on 1800 100 500.

(05:23):
Or, connect with themvia web chat or email.
And there's plenty more episodes
of Hold The Momentpodcasts available right now,
either in your favourite podcast app or,
on the Dementia Australia website.