The woman in line in front of me was tending to her father who apparently suffered from dementia. Suddenly, she completely lost it and was yelling at him. I thought she was going to hit him! He looked frightened, dazed and confused. When I tried to console the woman, she yelled back at me, ‘YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M GOING THROUGH!’”

It may be easy to find fault with this woman, who “came unglued” and mistreated her father. But there is a reason for this behavior. First, think about this moment in her caregiver’s journey: “You don’t know what I’m going through.”

What is caregiver burnout?

Caregiver burnout is a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion. Burnout can occur when caregivers don’t get the help or respite they need, or if they try to do more than they are able. Caregivers often are so busy caring for others that they tend to neglect their own emotional, physical and spiritual health, leading to fatigue, stress, anger, anxiety, depression and burnout.

What can I do to prevent burnout?

One way to prevent caregiver burnout is to take advantage of respite care services. Gimme A Break (GAB) does know what you are going through. GAB provides the support needed when a caregiver has had enough! The nonprofit cares for caregivers by giving them an emotional and physical break, as well as resources for continued well-being — all at no cost.

GAB provide respite in various ways:

■ Support Sessions. Support sessions connect you with a community of caregivers to better assess and serve your needs. The weekly sessions offer education, shared knowledge and professional guest speakers.
■ Resources — Trusted Partners. GAB continues to provide “breaks” in the form of resources from its trusted partners that give you worry-free assistance with all things caregiving.
■ Physical “Break.” GAB provides respite — a physical “break” from your caregiving duties.As part of GAB’s community of caregivers, you will never feel alone or isolated again.

NOTE: Taking care of yourself is not a luxury. It’s an absolute necessity for caregivers.


GIMME A BREAK (501(c) 3 nonprofit)
46-056 Kamehameha Hwy., Ste. F-09, Kaneohe, HI 96744
808-754-3787 | www.gab808.com
Every caregiver deserves our support. Your contribution will give them the break that they need. To give time: https://gab808.com/be-a-giver-of-time
To give funds: https://gab808.com/be-a-giver-of-money To join their Gimme a Dollar $1,000,000 Campaign: https://gab808.com/dollar