Let's talk about Caregiver Burnout. It's a real problem in families today. As the baby boomers age and modern medicine helps us to live longer, our families work to care for them, work themselves, and raise families. Let's have a short history lesson based on what I have learned. For children born in the 1950s and 1960s most of their mother's worked from home. Most families were traditional. Life expectancy was in the late 60s. With the advancement of modern medicine life, expectancy now is in the late 80s and early 90s. People in their late 60s are able to live healthier fulfilled lives. In the 1950's and 1960's cost of living was significantly less and nursing homes were far and few between, the aging generation aged in home or with their adult children. Things are much different in 2016, in almost every town in the US there are nursing homes, independent living facilities, assisted living facilities, adult daycares and retirement communities. Our society is gearing up to work with the baby boomers to continue their life and to care for them. One of the largest differences is most mother's work outside the home. Many are single mothers who work several jobs to care for their children. Caring for aging parents can seem daunting, but millions every day make it work. I have talked with family members that are struggling and are taking wonderful care of their family members. They are working all day checking on their family making sure they have dinner, feeding their own family dinner, soccer games, football practice, traveling baseball teams, home work, and the list goes on and on. They feel guilty for expressing exhaustion and needing help. They watched their mother's care for their aging grandparents and feel that they need to do the same. Move the family in with them or be at the family's home every day. They feel rushed and agitated at long doctor's appointments, picking up medications, grocery shopping for two households. But! The feeling of guilt and burden (and guilt of feeling burdened) has a name, it's called Caregiver Burnout. According to WebMD the signs and symptoms are: "What Are the Symptoms? They're similar to the ones for stress and depression. You may notice some of these things happening to you: * Withdraw from friends and family * Lose interest in activities you used to enjoy * Feel blue and irritable * Have a change in your appetite or weight * Your sleep patterns get out of whack * Get sick more often You may have an overall sense of emotional and physical exhaustion." When caregivers begin to have these symptoms it's important to reach out and get help with family members. Hiring a firm to handle the caregivers can give you piece of mind. The firm will train, background check, drug test, and make sure your caregivers are the best. The firm handles the stress of managing the caregivers and gives you the freedom to make hair appointments, only cook one dinner, only grocery shop for one household. The firm gives back the children the ability to be children and enjoy their aging parents. I feel passionately about families receiving help. I have watched families struggle ad refuse help because "families take care of families" and I have watched families take a big deep breath when they finally receive the help they need. Feeling guilty for wanting help is just a feeling, like anger. You can choose to put the guilt aside and say "It's Ok, I need help" Family care is so important and families want to stay in their own homes and non medical home health agencies can provide that. They want to care for your family members. Caring Angels wants to be there for you and your family members. Call Caring Angels at 575-941-3030. Or send us an email on the contact page. Ashley Bock,