This
month's blog was copied from The West County
Psychological Associates' winter newsletter, Winter Issue 2023. We are not even
two weeks into the new year and I am feeling burnout. I'm sure some of you have
been a little rattled over the past few years. I think my brain is trying to
reset itself back to pre-pandemic. I absolutely enjoy my job and my
co-workers but there are those days I just want to stay in bed with the
covers over my head. I hope this helps you as much as it did me. - Jamie
Saunders, MSW - St. Louis Area Agency on Aging, Information & Assistance
Supervisor
Preventing
Burnout for Senior Care Professionals
Amy Neu, MSW, LCSW
I’ll
be honest…I put off writing this article. I, along with many helping
professionals in the senior care field, have been feeling drained. There is so
much to do and not enough hands to help. There is the ever-present time
struggle to balance providing good care and documenting everything to satisfy
insurance and licensure requirements. There is the physical, mental, and
emotional energy we try to restore after work, yet we often enter personal
caregiving situations for our families in addition to playing catch-up with
paperwork or preparation for the next day. While this problem is not
necessarily new - staffing has been an issue for a long time in healthcare -
there are two new twists that are compounding the issue. First, never before
has a generation aged into the need for care like the baby boomers are in line
to do. According to the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) Aging in America Fact
Sheet, “The number of Americans ages 65 and older is projected to nearly double
from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million by 2060, and the 65-and-older group’s
share of the total population will rise from 16 percent to 23 percent.” The
other new facet of this problem is that there has never been a shortage of
caregivers like there is currently in the U.S. An article published in November
by AARP, “Caregiver Shortage Felt by Older Adults,” reports that “3 out of 5
U.S. nursing homes have limited their admissions due to staffing shortages and
nearly 3 out of 4 are concerned that they may have to close their facilities
due to staffing problems.” These concerns are echoed by many in-home care
agencies who are trying to staff the hours their clients need to stay safely at
home. The knowledge that the work we do is necessary is both reassuring and
weighty. We have watched many colleagues leave in the past two years for
employment that isn’t as taxing and pays the same, if not better, than what we
make. So, why stay? Then again, why leave? We love what we do. We often can’t
imagine ourselves in any other line of work, and the feeling that comes with a
patient getting better is unlike any other. We are passionate about this
career, and we have deep connections to our clients and to each other. In what
other line of work would we get to listen to the stories of each patient or
have the opportunity to witness some of the best parts of human nature? The
main question is, if we continue to stay, how can we prevent ourselves from
burning out in a system that is experiencing so much turmoil? Lately, I have
been practicing the concepts of taking in the good and moment meditations.
These ideas don’t take a great deal of time and can be done anywhere.
Psychologist Rick Hanson has focused much of his career on mindfulness and the
neuroscience of contentment. He emphasizes the benefits of fostering a sense of
gratitude and creating small habits to improve our outlook. At first, this may
sound frivolous, but I have noticed a genuine improvement in my outlook when I
practice these concepts. Let me share how I have implemented these ideas and
habits in minor ways. I notice if I skip them too often, my days do not feel as
productive and I feel more anxious. The first part of any good day of mine
takes several minutes of preparation the night prior. Before I go to bed, I
program my coffee maker so that I can wake up and go to the kitchen with a
fresh pot of coffee ready. In the morning I get up, head to the kitchen, and
intentionally choose a mug. I take a moment to appreciate the mug I’ve selected
(most mugs in my collection are a gift from someone special, a memento from a
trip, a color I enjoy, or contain a fun graphic). I pour my coffee, smell the
aroma, and take a sip. I turn to look at the side of my fridge where I have a
collection of holiday and birthday cards, birth announcements, inspirational sayings,
and silly magnets. I take it all in and reflect on the good people in my life.
In total, this practice from start to finish takes about two minutes. Then, I
run around to get myself and my family ready for the busy day ahead. The beauty
of it is, I know I will have this calm moment again tomorrow, the day after,
and so on. It’s my built-in moment of gratitude and mindfulness to start the
day off well. A second practice I do throughout the day is to try to give
myself two options, no matter how small the decision may be. This helps me feel
grounded and reinforces a sense of security within me. For example, I keep two
different scented soaps in the bathroom to choose from, I ask myself if I want
to return a call or check my email when I have a few minutes between clients,
and so forth. I am choosing to write this article now (you may recall I put it
off previously) rather than write up a treatment plan. We have many
opportunities to choose small paths throughout our day, and it is important to
remind ourselves of the power we have to choose. These small moments do add up.
Meanwhile, I work toward acceptance that we operate in an imperfect system for
the time being. I remind myself that I will continue to do the best I can for
the clients and families that are in my care. I will show up, assist where I
can, and appreciate the many beautiful people I work with each day. I will
continue to consult with my colleagues for the well-being of my clients, as
well as for my own mental health. I hope these ideas help you as you continue
your wonderful work. Please reach out to us at WCPA, (314) 275-8599, if we can
help you or your team gain additional support.
