October 15, 2021
Caregiving is tough emotionally and physically, caregiver health should be important to you. You should not feel bad if you need a break. You’re not a failure and you’re not letting your senior loved one down if you need to take some time for yourself. In fact, you should be regularly taking time for yourself. Time that is just relax and recharge, not time to run errands, shop, or clean your house. During Emotional Wellness Month make a commitment to do these things and prevent caregiver burnout in the future:
Hobbies are a wonderful way to recharge when you are stressed out. It doesn’t matter what it is that you like to do you need to make time to do it on a regular basis. If you haven’t found a hobby that refreshes your mind and spirit yet keep trying new things until you do find it. Many caregivers like to do arts and crafts like painting or knitting. You also might like woodworking or pottery. Or your hobby of choice might be a sport like tennis or golf. Whatever it is that you find exhilarating you need to do it on a regular basis. Make the time. You need to replenish your physical and emotional well-being so that you can be an effective caregiver.
Spending time outdoors heals the body and the mind. Studies have shown that spending time in nature can reduce stress and help manage the symptoms of conditions like depression and anxiety. Hiking is a great activity to do outdoors because it combines healthy physical activity with time spent in nature. But if you are not a hiker you can find a spot you love in a park or nature preserve or even in your own backyard where you can sit and unplug. If the weather is bad or during the winter where there’s not enough light try a natural sun lamp that mimics the light of the sun. It can help you get the same benefits that you would get being outdoors.
Getting professional help is also self-care, and for some people, it’s necessary for emotional wellness. Professional help could be talking to a psychologist or a counselor to help you sort through your feelings about the responsibilities and stresses of taking care of your senior loved one. Or it could be hiring a personal care at home provider to help you take care of a senior parent. Senior personal care at home providers can be your trusted allies and partners in caring for your senior parent.
A home care provider can help your senior loved one with housework, cooking, shopping, laundry, personal care, and all the other areas in which your senior parent needs help. But in addition to the physical help, they provide elder care provides companionship and friendship for a senior loved one, and give you the space you need to take care of your caregiver health.
