Being a caregiver can feel all consuming, but you can't let that happen. At some point, you're going to need to take an objective look at what is happening and fix it.
Your Senior Is Bored
This might not sound like it's connected to you as a caregiver, but your aging adult being bored a good bit of the time could be a significant clue. What this really means is that you could be doing way too much for your elderly family member that she could be doing for herself. Take a look at what you do for your senior on a daily basis and see if there are ways that you could allow your senior to have more autonomy during the day. You might be surprised what that does for both of you.
You Can't Remember the Last Day Off You Took
If you haven't taken any time away from caregiving, you're probably anxious about leaving your elderly family member to the care of anyone else. You can't be an effective caregiver if you're on duty all day, every day. Remember that you have your own separate needs from what your elderly family member needs. Remember also that it's not up to you specifically to make sure that your senior's needs are met because you can delegate that to someone else. If taking a full day off makes you nervous, arrange to have elder care providers take over for an hour or two and work up to a full day.
You're Feeling Anxious, Stressed, and Overwhelmed
Feeling the effects of anxiety, stress, and overwhelm are a bad combination for caregivers. It's understandable that you want to be the best caregiver that you can possibly be, but if you're doing so at the price of your own mental and emotional health, that's not okay. You need to find positive ways to manage your stress and anxiety so that they don't take over and force you away from caregiving completely.
You're Neglecting Self-care
Basic self-care, such as showering, getting plenty of sleep, and eating healthy meals, is vital if you're going to go into this caregiving thing for the long haul. So if you're finding that you're not taking care of yourself because taking care of other people is "more important," this can be a big problem. Refocus yourself on taking care of your needs and then handle the needs of others.
Being too wrapped up in caregiving isn't necessarily a bad thing, because it shows that you really want to take the best care of your elderly family member that you can. But ultimately you have to take care of yourself as well as your aging adult and that means that you have to take a step back now and again.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Avenues, UT, contact the caring staff at Interim Healthcare. Call today 801-401-3515.
Author: Michael and Marlena Hawkins, Owners, Interim HealthCare, Salt Lake City, UT
Interim HealthCare of Salt Lake City has been in business since February 2014, providing in-home personal care and support services that help our elderly and/or disabled neighbors live enriched, safe and independent lives. Our goal is to provide customized care and support services that make it possible for our clients to remain in the comfort of their own homes rather than relocate to an assisted living facility. Interim HealthCare is family owned by Michael and Marlana Hawkins, and is a Veteran Owned Small Business.
