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PSALM 34:18

If there was ever a scripture that describes a family caregiver, it is this. Family members who gladly take on the role of caregiver to an ill, injured, or aging loved one have a special calling. While they stay selfless, resourceful, patient, innovative, and compassionate for their loved one, there are days or even seasons when they are also brokenhearted and crushed in spirit.

As their friend, you may not hear them admit to feeling that way but you notice the exhaustion, anxiousness, neglect of their own care, impatience, and sense of hopelessness. These are signs of caregiver burnout. Sadly, when our caregiver friends reach this point, their own health begins to suffer, and the ill family member they are caring for becomes even more vulnerable and fragile, often leading to a relapse or hospitalization.