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Caregiving

How Caregivers Heal after the Sacrifice

by Carol Marak
written by Carol Marak

Family members at times take on the role of caregiving suddenly, assuming the tasks of helping a loved one without knowing what they’re giving up. In most cases, people don’t recognize their sacrifice and view the tasks as administering medications, preparing meals, giving rides, and making arrangements to live with their loved–all for the sake of the right thing to do.

How caregiving effects adults who step into the role:

Helping my parents through elder care put life on hold and I focused on their personal needs more than my own.

Deferred retirement to maintain the 6 figure income to cover my Mother’s assisted living or nursing home expenses, when unable to care for her at home.

Retired to give my Mom 24/7 care, we were able to cover the expenses without any real issues. She lived with me in my home until the end. The cost to me was in a personal and social life.

I gave up every weekend and one week a month, sacrificing 1/4 of my salary to unpaid family leave for mom-care for about 4 years. Eventually, lost my job because she was dying and I would not leave her in home hospice alone.

The Impact of a Care Recipient’s Death

A caregiver’s life is forever changed when the loved one passes away. So much of the caregiver’s sense of self came from providing care. This is the time when the family member feels lost and alone.

The caregiver’s purpose is tied up in caring for another and their identify ripped away. Now, they have no ties to providing care, the caregiver is left without someone to care for. The family member may feel useless and abandoned.

Having invested so much time and attention into giving care, it’s difficult to shift the focus–on you, the caregiver. The following tips are from Crossroads Hospice:

  • Use rituals as a tool to help cope with grief
  • Allow whatever you’re feeling
  • Take time-outs from grieving
  • Seek help from a licensed therapist
  • Reach out to others to re-establish relationships
  • Lean on family and friends
  • Get rest and exercise
  • Practice daily prayer or meditation

 

Family caregiving demands a great deal of life changes to meet the care of a terminally ill loved one. The care you gave diminished the focus on your own needs. So, be gentle with yourself and work towards healing. The role of the caregiver isn’t who you are.

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Keeping Caregivers Healthy
Caregiving

Keeping Caregivers Healthy

by Kathy Macaraeg
written by Kathy Macaraeg

Take Steps to Maintain Your Health Now for your Long-Term Well-being

Caregivers have demands on their physical and emotional energy, but what you don’t realize is the impact on your health. It can be easy to put your health maintenance at the bottom of your to do list since there isn’t an outside force demanding your time or energy. Keeping Caregivers Healthy
The problem is, chronic stress leads to major health problems such as headaches, heart disease, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, weight gain and memory problems. By constantly putting your needs at the bottom of your list, you run the risk of one or more of these serious conditions. Keeping Caregivers Healthy
Being a good caregiver means caring for yourself. If you let your health decline, you can’t care for others. Before you think, it can’t happen to me, I’m healthy/strong, consider these facts: Keeping Caregivers Healthy

  • Studies consistently report higher levels of depressive symptoms in caregivers than non-caregivers.
  • Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease caregivers suffer from depression and emotional stress 30-40% more frequently than non-caregivers.
  • Caregivers have less self-acceptance and feel less effective and less in control of their lives than non-caregivers.
  • Caregivers who experience chronic stress may be at greater risk for cognitive decline including loss in short-term memory, attention and verbal IQ.

So what can you do, when you have so little time? Here are simple ways to take better care of yourself to ward off health issues. While it can be difficult squeezing self-care in to your day, remember that you can’t care for someone else if you don’t first care for yourself. You can also try to work it into your care routine and include your caree.

  • Eat a balanced diet. Poor nutrition or rushing through meals can endanger your health in the long run. Eating well doesn’t have to be difficult. There are cooking shortcuts to work it into a packed schedule.
  • Get regular health check-ups by your health care providers. Caregivers are most likely to cancel their own medical appointments and not fill a prescription due to cost. The long-term effect can be damaging.
  • Avoid extra work. Prioritize your tasks and keep a list of what needs to be done each day and a “maybe someday list.” Be kind to yourself. Recognize that there are only so many hours in the day and you can’t do it all. It is OK to leave the clean laundry in the baskets or eat scrambled eggs for dinner.
  • Don’t feel guilty about setting limits for yourself. It is OK to say no. Not everything is an emergency and not everything is a need. When I am stressed out, I decide what is a need versus a want. A need is that I need to feed my family. A want is that it has to be a complicated home-cooked meal. Sometimes a rotisserie chicken and bagged salad from the grocery store is perfectly OK.
  • Take a walk, ride a bicycle, swim, stretch or even work in the garden. Just get your body moving. You don’t have to do it alone. Involve your caree in physical activities. Even if he/she is wheelchair bound, a walk around the block is great for both of you. You get exercise, he/she gets fresh air.
  • Take time for yourself to enjoy a hobby, read, or do something nice for yourself. Having things to look forward to can improve your outlook. You don’t have to take on big tasks. Try to read a few pages of a book before bed or watch a YouTube tutorial on a hobby you’d like to try.

Be kind to yourself. Being a caregiver is challenging and isolating. It can also be a thankless job. Your caree may not be able to express thanks, but know that you are doing great work.
Taking care of your well-being will not only benefit you now, but it will help your long-term health. Don’t put yourself last.

Keeping Caregivers Healthy

Keeping Caregivers Healthy Keeping Caregivers Healthy Keeping Caregivers Healthy Keeping Caregivers Healthy Keeping Caregivers Healthy Keeping Caregivers Healthy Keeping Caregivers Healthy Keeping Caregivers Healthy Keeping Caregivers Healthy Keeping Caregivers Healthy

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Respite Care for Family Caregivers
Caregiving

Respite Care for Family Caregivers

by Richard Bitner
written by Richard Bitner

When Is Respite Care Needed for Family Caregivers?

America is filled with unrecognized heroes. One group whose selflessness is consistently overlooked is family caregivers. Over 15 million Americans support family members through at-home care and assistance, providing over 17 billion combined hours of unpaid care each year. But even if that care is unpaid, it still comes at a cost, as any caregiver who’s suffered from caregiver stress syndrome can tell you. Respite Care for Family Caregivers
Too often, family caregivers find themselves overtaxed, over-stressed, and overwhelmed. This puts caregivers at risk of burnout and can lead to high levels of mental and physical strain. One solution is respite care by family members, home health care professionals, or non-medical home care agencies.
Respite care gives family caregivers a way to make time for self-care, even while remaining their loved one’s primary caregiver. If you think you might benefit from respite care, consider the following…

Are You at Risk of Caregiver Stress & Burnout?

Family caregivers tend to go above and beyond when caring for their loved ones, but this can often result in caregivers stretching themselves thin — physically, mentally, and emotionally. Many family caregivers spend more time on care than they would at a full-time job, and it can sometimes feel like your loved one’s care has taken over your life. Respite Care for Family Caregivers
This results in what is called caregiver stress or, in the most extreme cases, caregiver burnout. Some of the signs of caregiver burnout include:

  • Anxiety, anger, and depression
  • Exhaustion and lack of sleep
  • Sudden changes in eating habits
  • Fluctuations in weight and physical fitness
  • Over-reliance on medications, alcohol, or other drugs
  • Feelings of resentment toward the care recipient

While steps such as meditation, therapy, or a healthier lifestyle can relieve caregiver stress, sometimes these changes aren’t enough. When this is the case, you may need another person who can help share the load and give you the time you need to take care of yourself.

Options for Respite Care

There are a few different types of respite care available to family caregivers, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. Respite Care for Family Caregivers
Before turning to professional respite care providers, see if family members can assist with care. While family members won’t have the experience or training of a professional caregiver, they will have a pre-existing relationship with your loved one. That relationship is often invaluable when caring for an elderly person.
Other options include medical and non-medical respite care. Which kind of care you choose will depend on your loved one’s specific care needs. If your loved one relies on you for help with taking medications, for instance, then medical home care will be your best choice. On the other hand, if your loved one does not need medical assistance, then non-medical home care is often the more affordable option.
If you’re looking for non-medical respite care, you may wish to consider your local Visiting Angels home care agency. Visiting Angels caregivers offer flexible care plans, including respite care, to help share the load with family caregivers.

Respite Care for Family Caregivers

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