
Caring for Caregivers: Strategies for Preventing Burnout in Personal and Memory Care Professionals
January 14, 2025
Caregiving is exceptionally rewarding work that is also exceptionally difficult. For caregivers to provide skilled, compassionate care, they need to factor in their own health and well-being. At The Hickman in Pennsylvania, we only hire staff members who have the necessary experience, credentials, and licensure – as applicable – and we include caring for our caregivers in the equation. This holistic approach bolsters the level of care we’re able to provide while supporting a low turnover rate, which – in turn – fosters more meaningful human connections.
A Focus on Our Caregivers
Flight attendants routinely inform us – when we fly – that it’s important to address our own oxygen masks before helping others with theirs in the event of an emergency, and there’s a very good reason for this. If you’re not clear-headed and at your best, you have less to offer others. This same approach applies across caregiving situations. The National Institute of Aging shares that the stress of caring for someone in need – such as an aging relative – can lead to issues like the following:
- Increased anxiety
- Exhaustion
- Increased irritability
- Lack of patience
- A sense of disconnection or loneliness
- Sleep disturbances
- Falling to adequately address one’s own needs
While our caregivers are professionals, anyone can experience fatigue in response to the challenging work involved, and at The Hickman, we take this matter seriously.
Individualized Care
Our goal at The Hickman is providing each resident with the level of care they need – in the context of the highest level of independence they can maintain. This means that no two residents receive the exact same level of care and that no two care plans are mirror images of one another. This approach allows every resident at The Hickman to live their life authentically, and while it requires a more fluid style of caregiving, the rewards justify the additional effort.
A Focus on Our Caregivers
At The Hickman, we never lose sight of the fact that our caregivers are our most valuable resource, and we take the steps necessary to help ensure they don’t burn out or suffer undue stress and related concerns in response to their work. This includes all the following:
- Ensuring that we’re fully staffed
- Treating every staff member with the respect they deserve
- Engaging in thoughtful scheduling that honors each employee’s scheduling needs and that doesn’t pile on the hours
- Carefully attending to our employees’ questions, comments, and suggestions
- Continually improving the employee experience for everyone who works at The Hickman
Additionally, we encourage our staff to take their own welfare into consideration, to avail themselves of their regular breaks, and to engage in activities and practices outside of work that they find rejuvenating and refreshing.
The Hickman Supports Our Residents and Caregivers Alike
In order to support our residents’ best interests, The Hickman puts considerable emphasis on the best interests of our caregivers, which helps strike a healthy balance that works well for everyone. If you’re interested in learning more, please don’t delay contacting us online or call us at 484-760-6300 today.