Tips for reducing caregiver stress

With North America’s retirement living population aging faster than ever before, a great deal of attention has been placed on seniors themselves, but just behind North America’s senior population is tens of millions of Baby Boomers, many of whom act as caregivers for their aging parents.

And many of these caregivers say their unpaid responsibilities are not easy.

“People who care for loved ones tend to take on a lot, but don't take care of themselves,” Los Angeles-area psychologist Fran Walfish told CNN.com in a recent interview. “It takes an incredible amount of self-awareness but you have to be willing to say I need help, I'm not omnipotent.”

According to the CNN.com article, there are 72 million seniors in the United States, and many of them are being cared for by their children.

The article cited a study from the American Psychological Association which said 55% of caregivers frequently felt overwhelmed. The study also found that almost one in four caregivers said they felt “extreme stress.”

Some of the techniques unpaid caregivers can use to help alleviate stress is to not be afraid of asking for help, Walfish told the news source. When caregivers feel that they have assistance, their stress will become more manageable.