Caregivers are humans. That might seem like a needless statement because it’s so obvious, but oftentimes the people that provide care forget this about themselves. They focus so much on helping others that they neglect their own health. Unfortunately, this is far more harmful than helpful, both to the caregiver and the person receiving care.
If you are a caregiver for a family member, it’s important to know that it’s okay to seek out help for yourself. Yes, you are helping to provide care for a loved one and they absolutely need that help, but this doesn’t mean that you don’t also have needs. Even professional caregivers have needs and need to take care of themselves effectively if they are going to provide the best care that they can.
Many caregivers, both family and professional, have found that being part of a community of caregivers can help them to at least get started with dealing with some of the concerns that they might have. If you do not know anyone near you that has acted as a caregiver, joining an online community may prove to be of some worth to you.
However you communicate with others, it’s important that you not only talk about the issues that are bothering you, but also to be a good listener yourself. Others with more experience likely have some helpful feedback to give you so that you can more efficiently find a good care/work/life balance, but by being there for others, you can also help out. Topics like burnout, emotional wellbeing, medication dispensing, bathing, grooming, and more can often cause stress for the caregiver, and learning what works for others can often give you a better idea of what will or won’t work in your own life. And you might have an answer for someone who is going through something that you have already dealt with. Being an active part of the caregiver community is a great way to help yourself be a better assistant for your family, and to ensure that this remains an act of love and generosity, and not a dreaded chore.
This is an especially helpful thing for family caregivers who do not have any sort of professional training. Learning techniques on how to do things in a quicker, better, and easier way is always appreciated. Face it. Caregiving is an exhausting task. It is hard physically, and it’s hard emotionally. Even the pros struggle once in a while. But having that professional training to fall back on is a luxury that the majority of family caregivers do not have. Learning from others might not completely replace the benefits that comes with being a professional caregiver, but it can make your life a lot easier.
And, if you do decide that having a professional caregiver helping your family out is for the best, you will already have a community that can give you advice and feedback for how to select the best caregiver that you can find for the people that you love.
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