The Clinical Guide to Supportive and Palliative Care for HIV/AIDS

A Clinical Guide to Supportive and Palliative Care for HIV/AIDS • Chapter 20: Care for the Caregiver• Keep a daily journal to record the events that cause stress in your life. After severalweeks, you should be better prepared to identify problems, evaluate the criticality of thesituation, and weigh possible solutions.26 picas48• Discuss your problems with someone else. In addition to learning how others deal withsimilar problems, you may be able to help them manage stress. 63• If your coping strategies are not working, seek professional help. A mental healthcounselor may be able to help you better understand your feelings and needs and suggestnew ways of managing stress. 482. Change Caregiving Patterns.Informal caregivers sometimes get so involved with their work that they lose all perspectiveand burn out quickly. 28 This situation can be avoided by helping caregivers establishrealistic goals based on an honest assessment of what they can and cannot do. Once goals areestablished, caregiving patterns can be changed by:• Breaking down tasks into small acts of care 64• Learning how to adjust the pace of caregiving 6561–63, 66• Asking others to help with caregiving tasks• Encouraging the care recipient to help with tasks and continueself-care as long as possible 21Caregivers with high levels of subjective burden should be reminded that no one expectsthem to be perfect. A “level of care prescription” from the physician may help them achievea better balance between caregiving responsibilities and their own physical and mental healthneeds. One guide for caregivers offers the following advice:Let go. No one person can do it all. Acknowledge that as a human you have limitationsjust like everyone else. Allow others to help you; delegate responsibilities. Practiceasking for help and saying no once in awhile. Lower your expectations and toleratethat things might not get done perfectly. . . . Prioritize tasks and learn to manage yourtime. 483. Adopt Relaxation Techniques.Many caregivers use relaxation techniques to manage stress and prevent burnout. Thesetechniques should fit with the individual caregiver’s interests, time, and resources. Somecaregivers may wish to learn yoga or tai chi, while others may prefer to take a walk, listen tomusic, or soak in a warm bath. Armstrong describes a visualization technique in whichcaregivers close their eyes and imagine a scene of beauty and tranquility into which theyproject themselves. She also suggests reserving ten minutes each day for a “worry break.” 28The idea is to consolidate all worries into this period and then to set them aside until the nextday. Additional relaxation techniques recommended by caregivers include meditation,deep-breathing exercises, massage therapy, gardening, exercising, reading, and socializingwith friends.XXU.S. Department of Health and Human Services • Health Resources and Services Administration • HIV/AIDS Bureau 419