When the family caregiver is worn out

What are the signs of caregiver burnout?

Exhaustion that sleep does not fix, irritability, withdrawing from friends, getting sick more often and feeling that nothing you do is enough are the classic signs, and they often appear before the caregiver admits them.

Burnout is the most common reason a parent moves to a facility earlier than the family planned. Treating it is part of caring for the parent.

Where can Boise-area caregivers find respite?

Through the Area 3 Southwest Idaho Area Agency on Aging ((208) 898-7060), through Idaho Medicaid's A&D waiver respite for eligible members, and through RALFs that offer short stays or hourly adult care.

Idaho's RALF rules allow hourly adult care: a facility offering it must have written policies describing the services and must staff for those participants as well as residents.

How do we know it's time to stop caregiving at home?

When the care needed is beyond what one or two people can safely give, when nights are broken every night, or when the caregiver's own health is failing.

A move is not a failure. Many families find they get back to being a daughter or a son once someone else is doing the bathing and the night checks.

What help does the Area 3 agency offer family caregivers?

Older Americans Act programs run through the Area 3 Southwest Idaho Area Agency on Aging include caregiver support, information and assistance, and help finding respite and in-home services.

The Idaho Commission on Aging also offers free self-paced courses for caregivers on its Keep Learning page, covering practical skills and confidence. Support groups, including those run by the Alzheimer's Association's Greater Idaho chapter, help caregivers who feel alone.

How can families share caregiving fairly?

Write down every task for a week, then divide them by who lives closest, who has flexible time and who can contribute money, and review the split every few months.

Siblings who live out of state can take on bills, insurance calls and research. Paying for a few hours of help a week is often the best use of a distant sibling's contribution.

Does Idaho Medicaid pay family caregivers?

In some situations Medicaid waiver services can be delivered by a paid caregiver who is a relative, depending on the program and the relationship, so ask IDHW or the Area 3 agency how the rules apply to your family.