What You Should Know About Fatigue

If you are a family caregiver, you likely expect to experience tiredness while handling your care tasks and challenges. While this is normal, if the effects go beyond just normal tiredness, you might be dealing with something more serious. This condition is called fatigue, and it is far more than just tiredness. Fatigue can lead to a variety of serious health issues, and can diminish your ability to care for your senior parent. Better understanding fatigue and how it impacts people can help you to recognize when you might be dealing with it, and encourage you to take steps to reduce this risk in your daily life. 

Some things you should know about fatigue include:

• Approximately thirty-eight percent of those adults in the United States who have a daily occupation get less than seven hours of sleep each night
• Getting less than five hours of sleep, or staying awake for more than sixteen hours has similar effects on the body as being drunk
• Those who have irregular schedules, such as caregivers who do not have consistent sleep schedules due to unpredictable care requirements for their parent, are more likely to experience fatigue and the negative effects
• You are up to three times more likely to experience a car crash if you are experiencing fatigue
• Fatigue can lead to physical and mental illness, including cardiovascular disease, stress, high blood pressure, and depression

Being a family caregiver for your elderly parent means you are giving of your time, energy, and efforts to make sure their needs are met regularly and appropriately. This can be very rewarding for you, and a wonderful way for you to show your love for your senior. Regardless of how meaningful this decision is, however, it can also be extremely challenging. You may find yourself feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and as though you aren't able to keep up with what you need to do. This fatigue goes well beyond just being tired, and can leave you, and your aging parent, at serious risk. Fortunately, home care can be there for you, and for your senior. An in-home care provider can be a valuable addition to your care routine by stepping in to provide additional care and support so you can take more time for yourself, effectively divide care efforts, and protect your own health and well-being. Not only is this beneficial for your senior in giving them the care they need, but it also helps to relieve your stress, and support better quality of life. 

IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE ARE CONSIDERING HIRING IN-HOME CAREGIVERS IN RIVERSIDE, IL, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT BRIGHTSTAR CARE LA GRANGE. CALL TODAY: 708-551-2500