When it comes to elderly care, you are doing a wonderful job taking care of your elderly mom or dad. Whether they live in your home or you’ve moved in with them, you are likely responsible for finances, doctor visits, medical care, meals, bathing, grooming, and entertainment and companionship. While caring for an aging parent is rewarding, it can also come with its fair share of frustration and isolation. Without healthy outlets for stress, you can seriously affect your physical and mental health.
Here are 7 ways that family caregivers like you can beat stress and maintain that high level of quality elderly care for your aging mom or dad.
- Find a person to talk to. It can be frustrating to care for an elderly person day after day, and without someone to talk to, those feelings can stay bottled up inside. Identify a person you really trust, like a neighbor, family member, significant other, co-worker, or good friend and share your feelings regularly.
- Get educated on elderly care. Your aging mom or dad has a unique health profile and may be dealing with a number of common ailments. The more you know about their condition or illness, the better you will be at caring for them and knowing what to expect in the near future and long-term future.
- Understand your limits. As amazing as you are, you cannot do it all, especially if you have a partner, kids, and a job. The first step in reducing stress is identifying the areas where you need support and help, and what areas you are fine managing on your own. Be realistic and not overly ambitious so your solutions will actually help you.
- Take advantage of community services. There are many organizations in your city and county that support elderly citizens. Examples include a local senior center, county health department, community aging organization, and even religious groups. Tapping into these services can help reduce your stress week by week.
- Devote some time to yourself. You won’t do your aging parent any good if you are not at your full strength, so plan some time for yourself regularly. This could be just getting out of the house, taking time for your hobby, shopping, meeting friends for lunch, and much more.
- Get rid of the guilt. Family caregivers are experts at making themselves feel guilty for a lot of things, from handing over caregiving duties to someone else to setting aside time for their own pursuits. It takes many people to do a good job of proper elderly care, so welcome it instead of drown in guilt.
- Use therapy if you need it. At this unique state in your life, you may need the help of a therapist to sort out all your feelings and help you prioritize things. Getting some professional counsel is always a good idea, especially when you are dealing with both physical and emotional issues.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring elderly care in Greer, SC, contact Heart of the Carolinas Home Care at 864-991-3116. Providing Home Care Services in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Anderson, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Seneca, Laurens, Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding areas.
Source:
https://www.webmd.com/women/caregiver-recognizing-burnout#2
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