These past years, veteran and military caregivers have taken on more responsibilities along with increased isolation, stress, and anxiety. Caregiver support systems are returning, but these hidden heroes are still dealing with the strain brought on by the extra challenges. Amy Goyer from AARP and Kathy Roth-Douquet from Blue Star Families share five free resources that support veteran caregivers in self-care, making…
Caregiving is a challenging responsibility that increases stress and contributes to burnout and compassion fatigue. One effective way to combat long-term stress’s adverse effects is to add humor to your days. Smiles and laughter benefit both caregivers and older adults. Here, Homewatch CareGivers shares five ways to add laughter to caregiving. Caring for an older adult can be a draining and…
Routines simplify and smooth life for caregivers A top caregiving goal is to make life easier for your older adult, yourself, and others who are involved. One way to do that is to create a consistent daily routine for your older adult. This helps days run more smoothly. Daily routines can reduce uncertainty, arguments, and decision-making – decreasing overall stress for both…
Don’t let undeserved caregiver guilt add to your stress There are many common misconceptions about what caregivers should do or how they should feel that can cause guilt that isn’t deserved. Unfortunately, these misguided beliefs and unrealistic expectations about caregiving can also hurt you by causing burnout, compassion fatigue, or serious health conditions caused by chronic stress. Caregiver guilt might also influence…
Caring for an aging parent can be one of life’s most rewarding journeys, but it can also place immense strain on family relationships. When siblings are involved, old dynamics can resurface, and disagreements about care can create painful rifts. You are not alone in this challenge. Learning how to navigate these complex family dynamics is crucial for your parents’ well-being and your…
Celebrating accomplishments reduces caregiver stress Caring for an older adult can be exhausting, overwhelming, frustrating, lonely, and often thankless. It’s no wonder so many caregivers struggle with stress-related health conditions. That’s why it’s important to find a variety of ways to reduce stress. It’s not realistic to eliminate all the worries and frustrations that come with caregiving. And it’s natural to focus…
Caregivers are too hard on themselves How can you be so stupid? Why didn’t you think that through? How could you not expect this to happen? Would you talk this way to a friend? Or even a stranger? Would you let a friend talk to you this way? Of course not! It’s rude, mean, and completely uncalled for. But how often do…
Many caregivers are used to putting others before themselves and have a tough time saying no to additional requests for their time and energy. FirstLight Home Care shares four tips that help caregivers consider their own needs and well-being before saying yes out of habit. Caregiver burnout is real. Something that contributes to the stress is that many caregivers have a hard…
Mobile apps are useful caregiver coping tools We aren’t born knowing how to handle the tough situations and emotions that come with caring for an older adult. Daily challenges plus strong emotions like anger, sadness, resentment, or depression raise stress levels and worsen overall health. A convenient way to get fast caregiver stress relief is to use supportive mobile apps. They’re always…
We all know how challenging and stressful caregiving can be. That’s why it’s helpful to have plenty of self-care options in mind. All Home Care Matters shares eight practical caregiver self-care tips to help you support your own well-being. Caregiving for loved ones is both a challenging and rewarding experience. As a caregiver, you play a critical role in the lives of…
Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter!
