Caregiving can be stressful; our experts can help you navigate it

08 Jul

Posted by: Ashly Curry

Category: General, News

About one out of every five U.S. adults are caregivers to family members or friends who have a chronic health condition or disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Providing help for someone who needs extra care is a selfless, compassionate, empathetic act, said Lindsey Hock, an assistant director with Firefly Supported Living and Employment Services.

“Caregivers are teachers, counselors, friends, coaches and advocates at any point in the day for the people they are serving,” Hock said.

Helping someone else to best navigate their daily life can be demanding. Those in need of additional care, whether due to advanced age, health challenges or developmental disabilities, often need assistance with activities and tasks you might take for granted. It can be a stressful role. According to recent CDC data, caregivers report higher rates of:

Smoking (about 21% of caregivers smoke compared to 15% of non-caregivers)
Frequent mental distress (more than 17% of caregivers to 10% of non-caregivers)
Depression (more than 23% of caregivers; just under 15% of non-caregivers)

Our professional caregiving team at Firefly Supported Living and Employment Services primarily serves clients with developmental disabilities and strives to help people build the life they choose through advocacy, personalized care, education and unwavering belief. We asked for their advice in navigating stress that comes with the rewarding, yet demanding, work of caregiving.

CELEBRATE WINS

Helping someone in need can be challenging, but it’s also deeply rewarding when the work leads to expanded freedom for the person you’re helping, Hock said.

“Our goal is always increased independence for those in our care, and when they master a step, no matter how small, we celebrate the win,” Hock said. “Those goals could be as seemingly small as preheating the oven independently or riding the city bus without assistance. Every win is big, and these moments are when we’re reminded why this job matters and is rewarding.”

Have grace for the person in your care, and for yourself

Taking on a caregiving role for a loved one requires a lot of grace, both for the person you are supporting and for yourself, Hock said. Sydney Hunt, who has worked as a Direct Support Professional with Deaf and hard of hearing clients, said that the relationship between a caregiver and a person receiving care can deepen when you recognize that each of you sometimes needs a brief break.

Hunt has found that simply stating, “Hey, I need five minutes,” can ensure that she doesn’t transfer stress she’s experiencing to the person she’s supporting, and vice versa.

“You cannot pour from an empty cup, and if you are stressed, then that energy is going to get transferred, and then it’s going to be no help to anybody,” Hunt said.

Being honest that sometimes we need to step away and reset not only helps in that moment; it also builds relatability over time, Hunt said.

“When I communicate that to my clients, the reaction is most often along the lines of, ‘Oh, you have rough days too!’” Hunt said. “And when they in turn need a reset or a break, they know I understand and respect that.”

Balance offering support with developing independence

Hunt said one of her biggest challenges when she became a caregiver was recognizing when she was hovering too much over an adult in her care.

“Because, of course, you don’t want the person to get hurt, right?” she said.

The caregiver must realize that the person they are caring for is someone who brings their own life experiences to the relationship, and who is seeking to take their own steps and learn from their experiences.

Hunt said the more effective approach is to step back, watch and provide gentle guidance if needed. The goal is to help the person maintain as much independence as possible, treating them with respect to their autonomy and life experiences. As a caregiver, the focus is on supporting and enabling, not managing or controlling.

Develop or seek out a support system

In the 2024 research presenting data showing that caregivers reported experiencing depression and mental distress at higher rates than non-caregivers, the CDC recommended caregivers seek out support groups and resources available where they are providing care. The report points to the Family Caregiver Alliance as a hub for such help. The FCA’s Connecting Caregivers page includes links to online support groups as well as resources available and searchable by state.