As a new year dawns, you might be thinking about resolutions, but the last thing you need is another item on your endless to-do list. This year, instead of goals that add more pressure, what if you focused on intentions that truly renew your spirit and sustain you through the challenges of caregiving?
These three simple resolutions are not about doing more; they're about being kinder to yourself, finding pockets of peace, and remembering that your own well-being is the foundation of the care you provide.
This Year, Be Sure to Care for Yourself
The new year brings a fresh start. For many people, that means setting new goals.
Now is the perfect time to put yourself on the priority list so you can get the self-care you need and deserve.
It’s natural for caregivers to put themselves last, but this subconscious habit is harmful to your health – the consequences of unchecked caregiver stress are serious.
Studies show that it can cause severe chronic illness and higher rates of early death. Ongoing stress also negatively affects mood, relationships, and overall well-being.
We share four self-care goals that protect your long-term health and well-being along with suggestions for how to make them happen.
These goals and suggestions are designed to inspire creative thinking and help you find solutions that will allow you to rest and recharge.
As the saying goes, “you can’t pour from an empty cup.”
You might be tired of hearing this, but it’s still true that the more your own needs are met, the better caregiver you can be to your older adult.
4 New Year’s Goals For Caregivers
1. Get help so you’re not doing everything by yourself
- Put together a caregiving team of family, friends, and/or local resources
- Ask family or friends to help with your older adult – whether it's hands-on care, providing companionship, managing finances, conducting research, running errands, or doing chores.
- Hire a geriatric care manager to help solve tough care challenges
- Get outside help or lower your standards for time-consuming chores like cleaning or cooking
2. Take time for yourself every day
- Take micro breaks throughout the day – it’s an effective way to reduce stress when you’re short on time
- Do a 2 minute meditation, breathing exercise, or calming exercise
- Improve circulation and reduce stress with an easy 4 minute workout
- Escape from reality with a great book, magazine, or audiobook
- Connect with friends – through phone calls, video chats, coffee, or a meal
- Relax your body and get some fresh air with a casual stroll around the block
- Do something (anything!) just for you. Everyone needs regular me time.
3. Schedule regular breaks
- Get someone to sit with your older adult while you go out (or take a nap) – ask family, friends, volunteers from local service or religious organizations, or find local programs through your county’s Area Agency on Aging
- Hire an in-home caregiver for a few hours each week
- Convince family members to take over regularly
- Enroll your older adult in an adult day program
- Use local respite care programs
4. Stop wishful thinking
In caregiving, it’s essential to manage both your emotional energy and your time.
Wishing or hoping that something will change even though you’ve seen the same outcome time after time is a drain on that energy.
For example, maybe you’ve been thinking for the last two years, “I hope next weekend my sister will finally take over and give me a break.”
Or you might keep wishing, “Maybe if I explain enough times, mom (who has dementia) will stop taking things out of drawers and she’ll believe me when I tell her that nobody is trying to poison her.”
It doesn’t feel good to admit that these things won’t change.
But accepting the way things are allows you to use your valuable emotional energy on positive things rather than repeatedly wishing for something and then getting frustrated when it doesn’t happen.
VIDEO: New Year's Resolutions for Caregivers
Final Thoughts
Embrace these resolutions not as rigid rules, but as a gentle promise to yourself. Remember, even small steps toward self-care and connection can dramatically lighten your load and renew your sense of purpose.
This year, give yourself the same compassion and patience you so freely give to others. You are doing remarkable work, and you deserve to feel supported and replenished along the way.
Recommended for you:
- 25 Quick Journal Prompts That Reduce Caregiver Stress and Improve Health
- Find Local Respite Care to Get a Break From Caregiving
- 6 Ways to Make It Easier for Caregivers to Take a Break
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About the Author
Connie is the founder of DailyCaring.com and was a hands-on caregiver for her grandmother for 20 years. (Grandma made it to 101 years old!) She knows how challenging, overwhelming, and all-consuming caring for an older adult can be. She also understands the importance of support, especially in the form of practical solutions, valuable resources, and self-care tips.
