{"id":20780,"date":"2026-03-11T09:56:44","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T09:56:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpbookstore.org\/articles\/uncategorized\/5-tips-to-adjust-your-expectations-as-a-caregiver\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T06:10:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T06:10:46","slug":"5-tips-to-adjust-your-expectations-as-a-caregiver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpbookstore.org\/articles\/positive-living\/health-and-wellness\/caregiving\/family-caregiving\/caregiver-stress\/5-tips-to-adjust-your-expectations-as-a-caregiver\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips to Adjust Your Expectations as a Caregiver"},"content":{"rendered":"

Branka Primetica, MSW, is the BRI Care Consultation\u2122 Program Manager at Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The demands of caregiving are ever evolving. Yet one thing remains the same: On any given day, much is required of you as a caregiver. It is no easy feat to handle the needs of your loved one, as well as those of other family members, while also juggling work, household chores or other responsibilities. Chances are you often feel overwhelmed<\/a>. Despite this, do you tell yourself that you have to do it all? Do you burden yourself with unrealistic expectations? Do you feel pressured to meet what you believe to be the expectations of friends, family members or people you don\u2019t even know? If so, you can begin to ease up on yourself by accepting the situation and adjusting your expectations by adopting a more realistic view toward your caregiving role.<\/p>\n

Caregiving tasks and pressures can exact quite a toll. In fact, according to an AARP report<\/a>, caregivers spend an average of 24.4 hours per week caring for family and friends. Furthermore, almost 1 in 4 caregivers spend over 41 hours per week providing care (Pinquart, M. & Sorensen, S. (2003) Differences between caregivers and non-caregivers in psychological health and physical health: A meta-analysis. Psychology and Aging, 18(2), 250-267)<\/span>. As a result, caregivers experience higher levels of stress<\/a> compared to those individuals who do not provide care. About 16 percent of caregivers are emotionally strained while 26 percent state that taking care of their loved ones is emotionally challenging. They often feel frustrated, exhausted and guilty. Does this hit home with you? If so, you can begin now to adjust your expectations and accept a more realistic version of yourself as a caregiver.<\/p>\n

Where should you begin to balance your own and others\u2019 expectations? The following tips can help you to meet your responsibilities in a more realistic way:<\/p>\n