Caregiver burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that can develop in people who provide significant care and support to a loved one with a serious illness or disability over an extended period. Partners, parents, and other family members of cardiac arrest survivors frequently take on substantial caring responsibilities, often without adequate support for themselves.
Why it is common after cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest affects the whole family system, not just the survivor. Partners and family members often witness the arrest, perform CPR, or arrive at the scene while resuscitation is in progress. This direct trauma, combined with the ongoing responsibility of supporting recovery, can be overwhelming. Caregivers may:
- Suppress their own distress to focus on the survivor’s needs
- Take on additional practical responsibilities (managing medications, attending appointments, handling finances, covering for reduced work capacity)
- Experience significant anxiety about the survivor’s health and fear of recurrence
- Feel unable to seek help without being perceived as selfish
- Lose their own social networks and interests as care demands grow
Signs of caregiver burnout
Burnout is not always recognised early. Signs include persistent exhaustion regardless of rest, increasing irritability, emotional detachment, physical health problems, reduced ability to concentrate, and a growing sense of hopelessness or resentment.
Support available
Caregivers deserve support in their own right. Options include:
- Carer’s assessments through the local authority, which can unlock practical support
- Carers UK and other national carer organisations
- Peer support groups for family members of cardiac arrest survivors
- GP support including referral to talking therapies
- Carers Allowance and other benefit entitlements
Encouraging caregivers to seek their own support is not a sign of weakness: it is essential for sustainable care and for the wellbeing of both the carer and the survivor.
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