It’s hard to do much today without hearing the phrase “self care.” Self care is a term that means different things for different people, but the commonly accepted definition involves taking steps to improve mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical health.
Self care will look different for everyone. We’re all individuals, after all. What is helpful for me might not be what’s the most helpful for you.
But regardless of what it looks like, self care is essential. Caregivers that burnout because of exhaustion, not taking care of themselves, frustration, or whatever reason there might be, have the potential to do harm. There’s even the possibility that neglect or abuse could happen. No one sets out to make something like that happen, but burnout can lead to bad situations. Our loved ones deserve better than that. They deserve the highest quality of care possible. Recognizing that we need to care for ourselves to care for others is an essential part of family care.
If you’re like me, you probably don’t think about self care first. You think about whatever the job at hand is, especially when another person’s wellbeing is in question. You work yourself into exhaustion and rest when you’re able to. But, I’ve learned over the years that I am not helpful to other people if I don’t do the little things I need to on a daily basis to help take care of myself. I eat a little bit better than I used to, I have eliminated soda from my diet and drink a lot more water, and I exercise more than I used to. These might seem like common sense things, but they help me to reenergize have done a lot to help improve my overall health. I feel better when I take care of myself, and as a result of that, I’m able to help other people more, too.
Another thing to remember is that no one person is supposed to carry everything on their own. You don’t have to do it all on your own. People aren’t meant to be experts in everything, or do all of the work by themselves. That’s commonly accepted in the workplace, but harder when it comes to our families.
Having a professional caregiver on your side can help to ease that burden for you, and help you take steps to care more for yourself and those around you. By finding a trusted caregiver to help your family out, you can be a better family member in other areas.
We’d love to talk more if you’d like to learn how in-home care can benefit your family. One of our trained professionals will go over what we do here at Paradise In-Home Care and how your family might fit in. From there, it’s totally up to you what the next steps are. We’re just here to provide guidance and information at this point. We’d love to care for your loved one, but we also know that’s not perfect for all situations. Either way, we’re happy to get you pointed in the right direction. Get in touch today to learn more.
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