Caregiver: Many family caregivers focus so much on their parents’ care needs that they stop taking care of themselves.
The best thing a family caregiver can do is to take breaks. When you focus on self-care first, and your parents’ care needs second, you become a better family caregiver.
Why Does Self-Care Make You a Better Carer?
How does taking care of yourself make you a better caregiver? First, it helps you get the rest you need. Everyone needs a break from time to time. If you worked 365 days a year without ever taking a break, you’d burn out. It’s impossible to do your best when you’re exhausted.
Second, self-care helps you become healthy or maintain your health. If you’ve been so focused on your mom and dad that you haven’t seen your doctor in five years, what health problems are you battling without realizing it? Your immune system has been in overdrive without your knowledge.
Always Take Care Of Yourself First
Here’s an example of what happened when a family carer focused so much on her parents that she stopped taking care of herself. She’d been helping her parents for a decade. As their needs increased, she stopped seeing her doctor each year. Three years passed since she’d been for a check-up, so she finally went and learned she was extremely anemic.
After months of tests and prescription iron supplements, she got to a point where her iron levels started to rise. She found herself feeling more energetic than she’d ever experienced. She had the energy to get more done each day, leaving her with time left over to do fun activities with her parents.
How well do you do? You take your parents to their appointments, drive them to the stores, and help them around their home. What do you do for yourself? If it’s been a while that you focused on self-care, it’s time to make some changes.
When you take care of your emotional, mental, and physical health, you’re in better shape to be an energetic, invested caregiver. You’re less stressed and anxious. Your parents get the best care from you when you’re not fighting your own health battles.
You Need to Schedule Self-Care
Home care aides are a key to self-care. It would help if you had time to step away and take care of yourself. Go out with your friends and family. Have the time you need to focus on your job and hobbies. Do this by having home care aides help your parents while you’re taking a break.
Call a home care agency. Have a list of questions ready and discuss the services you provide for your parents. You’ll learn more about respite care services and how they give you a break. Talk to an expert in respite care today.
The staff at Home Care Matters is available to talk with you and your family about all of your needs. Home Care Matters is a home care agency providing quality and affordable Caregivers in Gainesville, GA, and the surrounding areas.
Call (770) 965.4004 for more information.
We provide home care in Braselton, Buford, Dacula, Duluth, Flowery Branch, Gainesville, Johns Creek, Lawrenceville, Oakwood, Sugar Hill, Suwanee, Barrow County, Forsyth County, Gwinnett County, Hall County, Jackson County, North Fulton County.
Valerie has the unique experience with home care as she has experienced it from both ends of the spectrum, as a caregiver and as needing care herself as a cancer survivor. Valerie says, “Taking care of someone you love is a physically, mentally and demanding labor of love.Taking care of my mom was the hardest thing I have ever done. It has given me an insight and perspective not many people understand unless you are doing it or have done it.I loved taking care of my mom.I love helping others take care of their love ones too.And now that I’ve been sick, it’s given me a whole new level of empathy and understanding for those who are sick and need help.”
Valerie’s schedule varies daily, but she loves visiting with our clients, families, caregivers, our network partners and being in the office.Says Valerie, “Every day is different, but I wake up excited about what we do, inspired by our team, clients and caregivers.I strive to be a resource to the community.I love my team and I love what we do every day. I like to think my mom would be proud.”
You can reach Valerie by email (Valerie@homecarematters.com) or in our office (770.965.4004).
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