Skip to main content

Military Health System

Test of Sitewide Banner

This is a test of the sitewide banner capability. In the case of an emergency, site visitors would be able to visit the news page for addition information.

Tips for Caregivers – How to Take Care of Yourself and Avoid Burnout

Image of Soldier sitting in gym with wife and daughter. A participant and his family watch as wounded, ill and injured service members participate in the air rifle and air pistol competitions during the 2017 Army Warrior Games Trials at Fort Bliss, Texas (Department of Defense photo by Roger Wollenberg).

Caring for a recovering service member can be hard. It can take on an added level of difficulty and stress when, as is often the case, that person is a friend, family member or loved one. Without time to recharge, burnout is a very real risk.

That's why it's so important for caregivers to take care of themselves, according to the Human Performance Resources by CHAMP (HPRC) team, part of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences' Consortium for Health and Military Performance, based in Bethesda, Maryland.

Whether it be physical support, emotional support, or just help with day-to-day activities, more than five million people in the United States are currently serving as “informal” military caregivers, without the pay, benefits or structured support systems from the civilian or Military Health Systems.

While social connections and family support are linked to healing and better outcomes after an injury, caring for a recovering service member you are close to may require more time and a higher level of resilience than, for example, caring for a child or an aging parent.

Among the Total Force Fitness and holistic health strategies the HPRC team suggests are:

Use TFF to Build Resilience and Cope with Emotional Stress

TFF focuses on overall health, including the physical, environmental, spiritual, psychological, social and financial components.

When taking on extra responsibilities, it’s common to feel negative emotions, stress, anger, frustration and even resentment. That puts caregivers at greater risk of depression, grief, exhaustion, and self-neglect. You are also more likely to develop your own health issues.

A holistic approach like TFF can increase your resilience and help address some of the emotional challenges.

Caregiver support strategies include:

  • Keep your nutritional and physical fitness in mind: Eat right, get the proper amount of sleep, exercise on a regular basis, and make regular visits with your doctor to get the best possible care.
  • Reconnect with your spirituality: Consider what matters to you and how you can connect your values to the support you provide.
  • Focus on problem solving: Often, tactical problems can be solved with a little bit of brainstorming and cooperation. List challenges and come up with strategies together as a family.

Optimize Financial Health

Because of the amount of time required to care for a recovering family member, there is often a link between financial strain and military caregiving. Some strategies to help optimize financial health are:

  • Know your resources. Several programs now offer financial and caregiving support to military families.
  • Don't let money troubles affect your relationships. If you take the time to discuss your financial concerns and focus on communication around money, your family can tackle financial challenges together.
  • Get into healthy financial habits. Budgeting can help you get on track when you are struggling. Small financial changes can make a big difference.

Build Social Support

It's easy to lose yourself while you're focused on caring for someone else, but you are not alone. Self-care and connection strategies include:

  • Get support. The Caregiver Resource Directory , Military Caregiver PEER Forum Initiative provide resources and link caregivers with other caregivers.
  • Set realistic expectations. Have patience and focus on the things that go well, not on setbacks or failures. Be open to change and look for creative solutions instead of "perfect" results.
  • Learn to say "no." Don't over-commit. Stay true to your priorities and say "no" to the rest.

More information from HPRC including links to resources for caregivers can be found here.

The HPRC team is made up of scientists, specialists and support staff who translate research into evidence-based resources to help warfighters and their families achieve total fitness and optimize performance, whether at home, in the office or in theater.

November is Warrior Care Month across the Department of Defense and DOD has no higher priority than caring for wounded, ill and injured service members and the caregivers who support them.

You also may be interested in...

More than 363 Military Health Care Providers Graduate on Armed Forces Day

Article Around MHS
5/25/2023
Defense Health Agency Director Army Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland addressed more than 360 uniformed and civilian health professionals on May 20 as the guest speaker of USU's commencement ceremony. (Photo credit: Tom Balfour, USU)

During a ceremony steeped in tradition, the director of the Defense Health Agency, Army Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland, addressed more than 360 uniformed and civilian health professionals on May 20, Armed Forces Day, as they received their medical, graduate nursing, biomedical science, public health, and clinical psychology degrees from the Uniformed Services University.

Uniformed Services University Nursing PhD Graduates Make Profound Impact in Nursing Science

Article Around MHS
5/22/2023
Uniformed Services University alumni pictured are, from left to right: Dr. Christine Engstrom, a 2007 Ph.D. in Nursing Science program graduate, Retired Army Col. Richard Ricciardi, a 2006 graduate, and Dr. Roberta Lavin, a 2008 graduate. (Courtesy Photos)

The Uniformed Services University’s Ph.D. in Nursing Science program was established in 2006. The program, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, was established at the request of Federal Nursing Service Chiefs to help train military nurse scientists to conduct research that supports the warfighter and DOD operational missions.

Changes in Behavior, Personality or Mood Following Concussion/mTBI Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet
5/22/2023

This TBICoE fact sheet can be used by health care providers to educate patients with a concussion, or mild TBI, on how to manage changes in mood related to their injury. Patients and caregivers would also find this information useful.

Road to the 2023 Warrior Games Challenge

Video
5/16/2023
Road to the 2023 Warrior Games Challenge

Wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans have trained and competed across all branches in an effort to secure a spot on their respective 2023 DOD Warrior Games Challenge teams. These are a few of the stories of those who are utilizing adaptive sports as a key component in their recovery. For more information regarding the Military Adaptive Sports Program and other transition opportunities, visit www.WarriorCare.mil.

Local Health Care Partners are Critical to Blanchfield’s Medical Mission

Article Around MHS
5/3/2023
U.S. Army Col. Vincent B. Myers, commander of Blanchfield Army Community Hospital talks with TRICARE network providers from the local community about the hospital's medical mission during a network partner event on Fort Campbell, Kentucky, on April 13. Regional TRICARE contractors provide health care services and support beyond what's available at military hospitals and clinics for eligible beneficiaries. (Photo by Fred Holly, Blanchfield Army Community Hospital)

Army Medicine, Defense Health Agency, and TRICARE East region contractor Humana Military representatives welcomed local TRICARE network health care providers to the Sabalauski Air Assault School on Fort Campbell, Kentucky, on April 13.

New Uniformed Services University Course Focuses on Mental Health of Military Children

Article Around MHS
5/1/2023
U.S. Army Maj. Justin Orton, clinical psychologist at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, pins a green ribbon in support of Mental Health Awareness Month on a student during a wellness walk at Bliss Elementary School in Fort Bliss, Texas. (Photo credit by Marcy Sanchez, William Beaumont Army Medical Center)

The Uniformed Services University's Graduate School of Nursing developed a new course, “Child and Adolescent Mental Health,” to address the mental health needs of military children in medicine.

In the Army Recovery Care Program, You Have One Job

Article Around MHS
4/27/2023
U.S. Army Cpt. Veronica, Jones shoots the ball during the U.S. Army Adaptive Sports Camp at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on April 1. Over 70 wounded, ill and injured soldiers are training in a series of athletic events including archery, cycling, shooting, sitting volleyball, swimming, powerlifting, track, field, rowing, and wheelchair basketball. This year, the Warrior Games Challenge takes place in June 2023 at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California. (Photo by U.S. Army Pvt. Theron Smith)

In the Army Recovery Care Program, soldiers have one job…to get better. The adaptive sports camp celebrates wounded, ill, and injured soldiers' ability to recover and overcome. The U.S. Army holds qualifying trials for active duty, wounded, ill, or injured soldiers to assess and select athletes for competition in the Warrior Games Challenge.

USU’s Surgery Chair Dr. Kyle Potter Named ‘Military Medicine Hero’

Article Around MHS
4/26/2023
Army Col. (Dr.) Benjamin "Kyle" Potter is the recipient of the Army Hero of Military Medicine Award. (Photo courtesy of Army Col. (Dr.) Kyle Potter, USU)

The Norman M. Rich Chair of the USU Department of Surgery, Army Col. (Dr.) Benjamin "Kyle" Potter, received the Army Hero of Military Medicine Award for remarkable contributions to military medicine.

The Art of Healthcare: Learning How Humanism Impacts Military Medicine

Article Around MHS
4/21/2023
Medical school students from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences traveled to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. to learn about the role of art in medicine. (Photo by Tom Balfour, Uniformed Services University)

Medical school students and faculty from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences recently traveled to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., to help strengthen their understanding of the role the arts play in the practice of medicine.

U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Bruce Gillingham Retires as Navy's 39th Surgeon General

Article Around MHS
4/3/2023
U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Bruce Gillingham salutes the American flag as U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Matthew Case presents it to him during a flag-folding ceremony for Gillingham's retirement event. (Photo by BUMED PAO)

U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Bruce Gillingham, the Navy’s 39th Surgeon General, celebrates the culmination of 40 years of active duty service at a retirement ceremony at the Uniformed Services University.

37th Airlift Squadron Pilot and Physician Paves Way for Women in Aviation

Article Around MHS
4/3/2023
U.S. Air Force Maj. Sandra Salzman, 37th Airlift Squadron pilot and physician, sits in the cockpit of a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft over Zaragoza, Spain, on Jan. 27. The training exercise included three C-130Js aircraft assigned to the 37th Air Squadron. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Madelyn Keech)

She just wouldn't take "no" for an answer, and that's how this wife and mom made history as the first female pilot-physician in the Air Force.

Dr. Jeffrey Freeman Named New Director of National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health at Uniformed Services University

Article Around MHS
3/24/2023
Dr. Jeffrey Freeman will begin as the new director of NCDMPH on May 8, 2023. (Courtesy Photo, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.)

Jeffrey D. Freeman, PhD, MPH, has been selected as the new director of the National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

USU President Encourages Attendees to “Think Outside the Box” at Infectious Disease Symposium

Article Around MHS
3/17/2023
Uniformed Services University President Dr. Jonathan Woodson delivered opening remarks during IDCRP's first annual Science Symposium March 6-10. The event was held in collaboration with the Defense Health Agency Infectious Disease Working Group Subcommittee. (Photo by  HJF communications)

Infectious diseases like COVID-19, HIV, and battlefield wound infections cause illness and disruptions that threaten health and military readiness around the world. To help foster collaboration in the field and share best practices, the Uniformed Services University’s Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program hosted its first Science Symposium March 6-10.

Medical Capability Development Integration Directorate: Training Vital to Army Health System

Article Around MHS
3/9/2023
Multinational partners conduct medical training as a part of Project Convergence 2022 at Fort Irwin, California on Nov. 6, 2022.  (Photo by U.S. Spc. Collin S. MacKown)

The Medical Capability Development Integration Directorate is critical to sustaining the motto of the Army Medical Department: “To Conserve the Fighting Strength.”

Driving After Traumatic Brain Injury at Womack Army Medical Center

Article Around MHS
3/8/2023
The Womack Army Medical Center uses a rehabilitation vehicle that builds confidence for a service member, diligently working to regain independence in their life after a traumatic brain injury. (Photo by Sameria Zavala, Womack Army Medical Center)

Traumatic brain injuries can end military careers and create great strains on military families. That's why the occupational therapists at Womack Army Medical Center have created a therapy that most of us take for granted to get injured soldiers back on the road to recovery.

Page 1 of 15 , showing items 1 - 15
First < 1 2 3 4 5  ... > Last 
Refine your search
Last Updated: January 31, 2023
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery