Taking Time For Yourself As a Caregiver
Being responsible for an aging parent who requires daily elder care in their home is a big deal, but even more vital is understanding and recognizing the importance of taking care of yourself so that you can be the best caregiver possible.
Caregiver in Fairfax County VA: Taking Time For Yourself
If you are feeling constantly stressed, overwhelmed, angry, sad, depressed, or resentful, you will not be able to mentally or physically provide the kind of care that your senior parent or loved one needs and deserves.
Taking time to care for yourself so that you can be healthy and happy is one of the most important things that you can do, not only for yourself but for your senior parent who relies on you as well.
Here are a few ways that you can put yourself first:
Take a class.
Have you always had an interest or hobby that you never took the time to act on? If you have something that you would like to explore, be it photography or painting or dance class or karate, there’s no time like the present to try it out. This allows you to further your interests while giving you time away from the responsibilities of caring for a senior parent which will help you learn the value of putting yourself and your needs and wants first.
Take a trip.
It doesn’t have to be someplace far away or extravagant, but taking a trip away for a few days can do wonders for resetting the mind and allowing you to re-energize your body and spirit. Consider a road trip or a weekend getaway, or even just renting a hotel room for the night so you can journal, relax, and get at least 8 hours of sleep for a change! If getting away isn’t feasible, see if you can at least take a few days off from caring for your parents by enlisting the help of another family member.
Relax your body and mind.
Another important way to put yourself first is to care for your body. Make sure that you are exercising regularly, and consider one of the many ways to rejuvenate your body such as massage, yoga, aromatherapy, or even acupuncture! The less tension and stress you are feeling, the less likely you are to bring that back when it’s time to care for your senior loved one.
Ask for help.
You may be wondering how this can help you when it sounds like it would be helping your senior who needs elder care at home. The answer is that it can help both of you. For some people, getting away to do things like getting a massage, take an art class, or go on a weekend getaway are impossible because they are the sole caregiver for their parent or loved one.
If that is the case, hiring the help of a professional home care agency can be exactly what you need to make sure that you are able to do the things that you need to do for yourself to be healthy, happy, and mentally available to care for your senior while they remain at home.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a Caregiver in Fairfax County, VA, please contact the caring staff at LivinRite Home Care.
Call Us Today at (703) 634-9991.
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