You don’t deserve judgment from anyone, even yourself Most of us have run across unpleasant know-it-alls who question your caregiving decisions or criticize things you’ve done. That’s terrible, nobody should speak to you that way! But what’s worse is when we speak to ourselves that way. Many of us unfairly judge ourselves and focus on the few mistakes we’ve made rather than…
Caring for seniors is a group effort When an older adult needs care, it affects everyone in the family. That’s why caregiver family meetings are so important. Without participating in a meeting, people who aren’t directly involved in caregiving are less likely to help out or do their share. They might not understand the seriousness of the situation or realize how much…
Caregivers need regular breaks Taking regular breaks is essential for caregiver health. As people often say, caregiving is a marathon, so it’s essential to pace yourself for the long haul. One helpful habit is to take micro breaks during the day. Tiny breaks will fit into your busy schedule and still benefit your physical and emotional health. We explain how even a…
Caregivers need to take care of themselves too The secret to surviving long term caregiving is to pace yourself and rest when you’re tired. Being constantly exhausted and severely stressed can lead to serious health issues and decrease your capacity to care for someone else. But some caregivers resist the advice to take regular breaks even when they have access to help. …
A major part of caregiver stress is caused by emotions Caring for an older adult is a stressful challenge that often takes a toll on your health. But only part of that stress comes from juggling day-to-day tasks. A big contributor is the strong emotions that naturally come up while caregiving. To reduce the stress from caregiver emotions, we asked experienced social…
Noticing what you’re grateful for reduces stress A quick and simple way to reduce caregiving stress is to keep a brief daily gratitude journal in a calendar format. Gratitude reduces caregiver stress because it reminds you to look for the positives in life, even when things are really tough. That simple act helps you get a different perspective and trains your brain…
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…
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