Caregiver on the Main Line

The holiday season is a joyful and exciting time, but it can also be stressful. As a family caregiver, you might experience this stress to an even greater degree, and suffer further consequences to your health and well-being. Focusing on protecting your health and well-being throughout the holiday season can ensure that you are able to enjoy the holidays while also remaining comfortable and healthy, and allowing you to move forward after the season in the best way possible.

Use these tips to help you protect your health and well-being during the holiday season:

• Make sure you get enough sleep. The holidays add a wide variety of extra challenges and demands to your schedule and can make it difficult for you to fit everything into your day. Do not take this as an excuse, however, to trim hours out of your rest each night. Getting enough sleep is critical for protecting your health and well-being, and enabling you to reduce and manage your stress effectively. Establish a set sleep schedule and keep up with it each day so that your body can get what it needs to thrive.
• Eat a healthy diet. During the holiday season you are surrounded by treats and indulgences of all kinds. While there is nothing wrong with sampling a few of your favorite festive sweets and snacks, this should not become your regular diet for the weeks of this season. Make sure that you are still eating the healthy balance of nutrients to give your body what it needs to fight off illness and infection, maintain energy, and stay at its best.
• Take time to yourself. Throughout the holiday season you are likely to spend a considerable amount of time thinking about others. You plan and attend parties, shop for and wrap gifts, bake cookies, give to charities, and do any number of other things to help the people in your life treasure their holiday season. This year, do not forget yourself. Give yourself the gift of some time to yourself and relaxation this holiday season. Plan for a respite home care provider to come to the home to spend time with your aging parent and ensure that they are given the care, support, and assistance that they need to stay healthy, safe, and comfortable, and then take an afternoon, a day, or even a weekend to relax, refresh, and focus on enjoying the holidays.
• Streamline your celebrations. As a family caregiver, your holidays are different now than they ever have been. You may not have the time, energy, or resources to do everything that you used to do to celebrate the holidays. Do not allow this to make you feel guilty. Streamline your holiday celebrations and learn to say “no” to those things that will put more stress on you than will give you benefit. You might need to trim down the number of events that you attend or cut down your gift list. Do what you need to do to ensure that you have the energy that you need to focus on your family and yourself throughout the season.

If you or an aging loved one are considering caregiver services on the Main Line, contact the caring professionals at Reliant At Home Care today 610-200-6075.

Caregiver on the Main Line

Being a family caregiver can be a demanding role and one that many people are unable to do. With the list of things the elder needs care for to your own family responsibilities, you may not have the time or resources to provide the care the senior needs.

Neither you nor the elder will benefit by continuing to care for them when you are unable to do so. One option would be to hire professional caregivers, who will give your loved one the time and attention they need. If this is the option you would like to use for your aging parent, here are some tips for letting them know that you will no longer be there primary caregiver.

Discuss Your Emotions

It might be difficult for the senior to hear, but it is important you are brutally honest about the toll caregiving is taking on your emotional health. After days or weeks of bathing, feeding, and grooming your elderly loved one, along with other tasks you needed to take care of, you may feel a combination of anger, frustration, sadness, and resentment. These feelings could cause your own health to deteriorate. The elder may be disappointed or upset that you will not be caring for them anymore, but will be at ease knowing you were honest with them.

Inform the Elder of Other Family Responsibilities

Caring for an elderly loved one can be a full-time job that can easily take time away from your own children and spouse. When your own family is taking a backseat to the elder, it is time to consider finding other care options for the elder, such as an elderly care professional. Instead of trying to spread yourself too thin between the senior and your family, talk about your dilemma with the elder. Let them know that you feel as if you have neglected your own family and you need to refocus your time and energy on them. Your parent once had to care for a small child or children, too, so they should understand why you need to spend time with them.

Talk about Financial Issues

Although you would probably care for your loved one for free, the bills still need to be paid. A majority of family caregivers in the United States are unpaid, yet have to contribute some of their own money to the care of the elder. They do not want to cause you and your family financial problems and will most likely understand your reasons for not being able to care for them.

Having this talk with an aging parent is a tough conversation to have, but one that is needed. These 3 topics will help you start the conversation and help them find an in-home care aid who can give them the help they need.

If you or an aging loved one are considering caregiver services on the Main Line, contact the caring professionals at Reliant At Home Care today 610-200-6075.