If you are the primary carer of a loved one with disability, you will understand the rollercoaster of emotions that comes with the job. From love and joy through to stress and overwhelm and everything in between! Caring for your loved one, along with all of the other roles, responsibilities and hats that you wear can be a lot! It’s important to understand what carer burnout might look like for you and the support available to promote your own health and well-being.

What is Carer Burnout?

Carer burnout is just one of the terms used to describe when a person who is providing care to others, feels an overwhelming amount of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion. You might also hear the term “carer fatigue” but either of these terms describes a state that a carer gets to when things all become a bit too much.

Signs of Stress

As with any aspect of taking care of our wellbeing, it’s important to be honest with yourself and acknowledge how you are feeling. This can help you to recognise the early signs of stress and seek support.

While we all experience stress differently, some of the early signs of carer stress, may look like:

• Feeling overwhelmed
• Feeling excessively tired
• Feeling more worried and anxious than is usual for you
• Getting too much sleep or not enough sleep
• Changes in appetite, weight gain or weight loss
• Losing interest in things that you used to enjoy
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Feelings of isolation
• Becoming irritated or agitated more easily
• Experiencing mood swings
• Feeling sad or depressed
• Experiencing physical problems like headaches or muscle pain

Where to Turn For Help

It can be really difficult to know where to turn for help if you’re feeling overwhelmed in your caring role. The first important step is acknowledging that things are feeling too much and that this is perfectly “normal”.

In fact, it’s so “normal” that an entire organisation exists to support carers in Queensland.

Carers Queensland

Carers Queensland is the peak body representing unpaid family carers and community carers in Queensland. They have been providing specialised carer and disability support services for over 30 years. They are the NDIS Local Area Coordination Partner in the Community service provider for the Brisbane North & South, Beenleigh, Robina, Caboolture/Strathpine, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Rockhampton and Maroochydore service areas.

The NDIS

While the NDIS is set up to provide choice and control to individuals who have disability, the scheme also recognises the vital role that carers play and has a number of initiatives in place to support carers.

NDIS Funded Support

To access NDIS support in your caring role, the person that you care for must be an NDIS participant. Some of the types of NDIS supports available for carers are:

• Short Term Accommodation (Respite care) – short stays of a few days (or up to two weeks) providing you with a break from your caregiving role.
• Therapy – Your loved one may be eligible for therapy support that is designed to increase their independence such as occupational therapy and physiotherapy.
• Support Coordination – if funded in your loved one’s NDIS plan, support coordination can help you to find and access the right supports.
• Behaviour Support Planning – can help you to manage any challenging behaviours.
• Assistive Technology – is another way that your loved one may be able to increase their independence with funding for devices such as mobility aids, shower chairs, home modifications which can help to make caring a little easier on you.
• Support Workers – to come into your home or take your loved one out into the community and provide the care that they need.

How InFocus Can Help

Plan Managers – As a registered provider of Plan Management, we can save you time on the financial administration of your loved one’s NDIS plan.

Support Coordinators – Our Brisbane-base Support Coordination team, can work closely with you to ensure that your loved one is getting the support that they need.

To find out more, simply call us on 1800 928 437 or use our contact form and we will be in touch.