What is Burden of Care in Senior Living?
Burden of care is the stress that comes with caring for someone else. It is not just about how much work it is, or how often you have to do it — it is also about how much stress you feel because of your relationship to the person you are caring for.
Burden of care can be a big deal for anyone who has a family member or loved one who needs extra help from time to time, but in senior living facilities it can cause some serious problems. Senior living facilities are places where people go to live when they need extra help with their daily tasks, like eating or getting dressed. They may even have trouble remembering things they used to know, which means they need people around all the time to remind them what is going on.
Because of this, many of them are confined to bed all day long and rely on caregivers for everything: food, washing up after meals, putting on clothes (or having them put on), taking showers and baths… even going outside so they can get fresh air! This kind of care takes a lot of time and effort — and it can be hard on both sides!
Why Is Recognizing Burden of Care Important?
Burden of care is an important concept in senior living facilities because it can help staff better understand their residents' needs, which can lead to more effective care. It is also important for managers to offer support and training to staff that are experiencing the emotional burden of caring for elderly residents.
Recognizing the burden of care helps a facility's staff be aware of both the emotional and physical needs of their residents. It also helps them understand why residents might act in certain ways that seem odd or unreasonable, like not wanting to be left alone or not wanting to take medication.
The staff should be able to recognize when a resident's behavior is due to their physical disability or illness, or when it is due to something else entirely. If they are able to identify how much of a burden a resident's actions place on others, they can respond appropriately and provide better care.
How Can I Lower the Burden of Care at My Senior Living Facility?
You can lower the burden of care at your senior living facility by making sure that you have enough staff to handle the needs of your residents. You also need to make sure that each staff member is trained in how to handle all of the different situations they may encounter, so that they can provide the best possible care for your residents.
Make sure that all of your staff members are aware of what types of medical conditions are present in your facility. This will help them be able to handle any emergencies and keep track of any medications or treatments that may need to be administered. Offer support systems for staff who are experiencing emotional trauma associated with their work. This will increase staff retention and employee happiness.
