This has been talked about in the past, but following in the wake of the holiday season, it is definitely something that needs to be brought up again. Caregiver stress is a huge cause of concern, especially in light of the hectic times that are the holidays. Stress can manifest itself in a number of ways, but if it goes unchecked, it can easily lead to caregiver burnout, and this is not a pleasant thing for anyone. It is unpleasant for you, the caregiver, because it is a negative feeling that can lead to even worse stress, depression, or even feelings of resentment. And it’s negative for your elderly loved one because it seriously diminishes the quality of the care that you are able to give.
This doesn’t have to happen. Even if you decide that long term senior care is not the right choice for your family, you do not ever need to let caregiver burnout interfere with your loved one’s life. You can start by planning some time for yourself. It’s important that you are able to still pursue the things that bring you joy. This gives you an outlet so that you won’t feel trapped while helping your loved one get through their day. Make sure that you take care of your health, too, with things like eating right and exercise, too.
Next, enlist help. You don’t have to provide care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Find a relative that you trust to help out once in a while if you can. If not, there are professional respite services that you can hire to give your elderly parent some assistance once in a while. Always make sure you go with a professional and trusted service so that you do not need to worry about finding quality care.
Make sure that you are also maintaining relationships with people outside of your family. Keep in touch with your friends and coworkers so that you can stay connected to the outside world. Caring for someone in your home can take over your life if you let it, so you need to make sure that you are doing things to keep things steady outside of your home, too. One easy way to do this is to tell a few people that you are providing care to a family member and that they should feel free to check on you once in a while. This will give you a level of accountability to your social network, but it will also help them to understand that you might have to say no to getting together once in a while, too.
Whatever you do, don’t be afraid to ask for help. One of the biggest entrapments of being a caregiver to a loved one is the feeling that you need to do this all on your own. Providing care is a tough thing and it is best left to a professional caregiver. If you choose not to do this, that’s fine, just be aware that there are people out there that will help you. And even if you don’t want a professional for the long term to help with care, some services offer care on an as needed basis to help you to reduce the feelings of burnout that you might get once in a while.
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