Skip to Main Content

Looks like you’re visiting UCSF Health on Internet Explorer. For the best experience, try Chrome or Firefox.

UCSF Health
Popular Searches
University of California San Francisco
  • Conditions & Treatments
    Conditions & Treatments
    EPILEPSY BREAKTHROUGH

    Stopping Seizures Before They Start

    • Find Conditions

    • Find Treatments

    • Clinical Trials

    • Patient Education

    • Medical Tests

  • Doctors
    Doctors
    MEET OUR DOCTORS
    Dr. Jasleen Kukreja and the Life-Saving Gift of Breath
    • Find a Doctor

    • Doctor Stories

    • Get a Second Opinion

  • Clinics & Locations
    Clinics & Locations
    BAKAR PRECISION CANCER MEDICINE BUILDING
    Care, Convenience and Support at New Cancer Facility
    • Find a Clinic

    • Locations & Directions

    • Urgent Care

    • Emergency Care

    • Partners & Affiliates

    • UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals

  • Patients & Visitors
    Patients & Visitors
    KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
    10 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Doctor’s Visit
    • Your Hospital Stay

    • For Visitors

    • International Services

    • For Caregivers

    • Support, Services & Groups

    • Billing & Insurance

    • Help Paying Your Bill

    • Pricing Transparency

    • 340B Drug Pricing Program

    • Medical Records

    • Patient Relations

  • Why Choose Us?
    Why Choose Us?
    U.S. News Best Hospital Rankings
    UCSF Health Ranked Among Nation's Top 10 Hospitals
    • Our Mission

    • Quality of Patient Care

    • Patient Stories

    • Embracing Diversity

    • Our Leadership

  • Refer a Patient
  • MyChart
  • Request Appointment
  • Get a Second Opinion
  • Call us: (888) 689-8273
University of California San Francisco
Patient Education

Self-Care for Caregivers

The physical and emotional demands of caring for a loved one with a serious illness can be exhausting and even lead to burnout. It's important to maintain your own health and well-being so you can provide the best possible care.

Here are tips for handling some of the common challenges for caregivers:

  • Take time for yourself and your own needs. Watch for signs of stress, such as impatience, loss of appetite or difficulty with sleep, concentration or memory. Pay attention to changes in your mood, a loss of interest in usual activities or an inability to accomplish usual tasks.
  • Eat a well-balanced diet. Drink plenty of water every day.
  • Exercise by taking short walks daily or at least three times a week.
  • Listen to guided relaxation recordings or relaxing music.
  • Schedule short rest periods between activities. Make it a priority to get a good night's sleep.
  • Set limits for what you can do. 
  • Don't overload your daily to-do list. Be realistic.
  • Find a few hours several times a week for activities that you find meaningful and enjoyable.
  • Let family members and friends help with household chores, meal preparation, childcare and shopping. 
  • Keep the lines of communication open among your loved one, you, your family and friends, and the health care team.
  • Share your feelings with family members or other caregivers, or join a support group.
  • Give yourself credit: The care you give does make a difference.
  • You are not alone. UCSF Health offers experienced and sensitive social workers and case managers to help patients and their families cope with illness, hospitalization and medical treatment.

    Adapted from "Self-Care for the Caregiver," Oncology Nursing Society, 2001.

UCSF Health medical specialists have reviewed this information. It is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your provider.

Support services

View All
""
Patient Resource

Case Management & Social Work

Connect with a team that can help you find resources, solve problems and advocate for you during treatment at UCSF.

Support Group

Cancer Support Groups

These groups offered by the Ida and Joseph Friend Patient and Family Cancer Support Center are free and available to all patients, whether or not you get your health care at UCSF.

Patient Resource

Oncology Social Work

Social workers offer support, problem-solving, help accessing UCSF cancer-related resources and more. Find out how to contact the social worker for your clinic.

Patient Resource

Patient & Family Cancer Support Center

The center offers wellness programming, community, support groups, classes, workshops and more at no cost to people facing cancer and their loved ones.

Support Group

Peer Support Programs for Cancer

Patients are matched with peer support volunteers according to criteria such as diagnosis, cancer stage, age or gender. Speak to someone who's "been there."

Support Group

Organ Transplant Support Groups

Our heart, lung and liver transplant groups offer peer-based support for pre- and post -transplant patients, LVAD patients, families and caregivers.

Support Group

Neurology Support Groups

Find support for caregivers, families and patients dealing with aneurysm and AVM disorders, Parkinson's, MS and other neurological disorders.

Patient Resource

Neuro-Oncology Caregiver Program

If you're caring for someone with a brain tumor, our program can help with guidance, information, resources and support at this difficult time. Find out more.

Patient Resource

Patient Relations

We welcome feedback about your experience at UCSF Health. Find out how to contact us with comments, questions or concerns.

Patient Resource

Spiritual Care Services

Chaplains representing many faiths are available around the clock to provide support, comfort and counsel to patients, families and caregivers.

Recommended reading

Communicating with Your Doctor

The relationship with a doctor is a very personal one, built on communication and trust. In choosing a doctor, the "chemistry" between the two of you must work.

Coping with Chemotherapy

Each person experiences side effects from chemotherapy differently, and different chemotherapy drugs cause different side effects. Learn more here.

Delegation to Help with Fatigue

Fatigue caused by cancer treatment can make it difficult to accomplish even the smallest of tasks. Learn how task delegation can help with this fatigue.

Evaluating Health Information

Health information can be extremely useful, empowering us to make important health decisions. However, it also can be confusing and overwhelming. Learn more.

FAQ: Cancer Pathology Tissue Slides

Find frequently asked questions regarding cancer pathology tissue slides, such as how to obtain the slides and what to do with them once you do.

FAQ: Cancer Radiology Scans and Reports

Learn the difference between a radiology report and radiology films or scans as well as why your doctor may be requesting these scans and more.

Hospice Care

Hospice, which now exists in every state, provides home care and support for terminally ill patients. Learn more about the criteria and costs here.

Managing Your Treatment

Living with or caring for someone with cancer can be a full-time job. Here are some tips to reduce stress and help navigate the disease more effectively.

Nutrition and Coping with Cancer Symptoms

Side effects of cancer treatment may affect your eating pattern, requiring new ways to get the calories, protein and nutrients that you need. Learn more.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Your time with the doctor is limited, thus it's helpful to prepare for the visit in advance by prioritizing the questions that are important to you. Learn more.

Resources for End of Life

The UCSF Cancer Resource Center has a list of bereavement support groups, counselors, hospice and others dealing with end-of-life issues. Learn more.

Tips for Conserving Your Energy

Cancer and cancer therapy can be accompanied by feelings of extreme fatigue. To help you deal with this fatigue, follow these easy tips help conserve energy.

Using a Medical Calendar and Symptom Log

Take time at the end of each day or each week to reflect back on the symptoms you've had. You can use a calendar to track your symptoms. Learn more here.

Did you know?

In 2016, UCSF became the first U.S. hospital to perform osseoanchored prosthesis surgery. In this procedure, surgeons use a titanium screw to permanently attach a prosthetic limb to the patient's remaining bone. With the implant firmly anchored in the right place, patients are spared pain, pressure sores and other complications of traditional prosthetics.

Learn more
UCSF Health
Follow UCSF Health:
Getting Care
  • Find a Doctor
  • Emergency Care
  • Primary Care
  • All Medical Services
  • International Services
  • Price Transparency
  • Help Paying Your Bill
Getting Involved
  • Donate
  • Volunteer
  • Join Our Team
About Us
  • Locations & Directions
  • Contact Us
  • Contact Patient Relations
  • Media Resources
  • Accessibility Resources
  • Report Misconduct
  • Website Privacy Policy
  • Quality of Patient Care
  • Crisis Standards of Care
  • Our Organization
  • UCSF News
  • Notice of Privacy Practices
Research and Education
  • Clinical Trials
  • UC San Francisco
  • UCSF School of Medicine
  • UCSF School of Nursing
  • UCSF School of Pharmacy
Referring Physicians
  • Refer a Patient
  • Transfer a Patient
  • MDLink
  • Request a Consultation
  • Physician Channel
Follow UCSF Health:
© 2002 - 2025. The Regents of The University of California.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Some stock photos, posed by model.

Share

  • Email Link
  • Copy Link
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on X