Sleep is essential for hard-working caregivers, but between regular life and caregiving responsibilities, getting enough quality rest can be a big challenge. Vive Health shares 6 smart tips to combat caregiver sleep deprivation. Find out how to make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep as well as improve sleep quality. Is lack of sleep making your caregiving duties more difficult?…
Caregiver guilt adds to stress and worsens health Caregiving is hard enough without the added guilt that often comes with all the responsibilities. But often, the guilt that we feel isn’t deserved. We tend to hold ourselves to unreasonable standards like being able to do everything without help, having a solution for every problem, always making the “right” decision, never getting upset…
Try a more effective response to caregiver criticism Getting criticized is unpleasant – especially from family or friends who don’t lift a finger to help care for your older adult. Yelling or getting upset might feel justified in the moment, but it won’t reduce your stress or cut down on future comments. You might even feel worse later because you didn’t get…
Anxiety increases stress and decreases well-being There’s a lot to worry about when you’re caring for an older adult. That anxiety can pump up your stress and harm your health. To cope with caregiver anxiety and protect your health, it’s helpful to have a variety of go-to anxiety relief techniques. Depending on the situation, you might find that some methods work better…
Support reduces stress to sustain caregiving over the long term Stress goes hand in hand with caregiving and wears down your health and well-being. It can be caused by a wide range of things: the enormous responsibility, endless tasks, feeling overwhelmed, managing mixed feelings, feeling guilty, and feeling alone. To sustain caregiving over the long term, learn tried-and-true caregiving tips from those…
Don’t suffer because of common caregiving misconceptions When talking with families who are caring for older adults, we hear a lot about caregiver guilt, stress, and angst. Many of these negative feelings are caused by misguided but common beliefs we impose upon ourselves. We explain how three common myths influence our thinking and add to our stress and why they’re simply not…
Funny moments can happen during caregiving Chronic illnesses and serious diseases like Alzheimer’s disease are certainly no laughing matter. But even in the middle of the worst day, there’s still room for laughter. And funny moments can naturally come up while you’re caring for an older adult. Giving yourself permission to notice when funny things happen and encouraging your older adult to…
Counseling or therapy helps you manage caregiving stress Talking with a counselor or therapist is a shortcut to figuring out how to deal with the stress and emotional conflict that come with being a caregiver. Instead of struggling on your own, why not talk with an expert who can give you advice and tools to cope with the emotional and physical challenges?…
Caregiver loneliness makes dementia care more challenging When you’re caring for an older adult with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, loneliness is a common feeling. It might feel like nobody else understands what you’re going through, even if you have a good support system. You also might avoid sharing the full details of the situation with family or friends because you want to…
Managing stress for caregivers prevents burnout Stress comes with the territory when you’re a caregiver. It’s not possible to completely eliminate caregiver stress, but there are many ways to give yourself a break and reduce the negative effects on your body and mind. Of course, we’re all trying to reduce stress, but sometimes, we could be multiplying its effects without even realizing…
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