You’ve poured from an empty cup for so long, you’ve forgotten what it feels like to be refilled. The to-do list is endless, the needs are constant, and the idea of a “break” feels like a distant fantasy reserved for other people. But what if taking a moment for yourself wasn’t a reward for finishing everything – what if it was the…
Caregivers Can Be 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 utterly uncalled for. But how often…
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 challenging and rewarding. As a caregiver, you play a critical role in the lives of those you…
Reduce caregiver stress with helpful tech tools It goes without saying that caring for an older adult is an incredibly stressful job. But you do have the power to reduce and manage your stress levels – even if it doesn’t always feel that way. We found an excellent stress reduction tool called Virtual Hope Box. It’s a free smartphone app that’s been…
When family doesn’t believe seniors need help You might be frustrated by family members who are in denial about your older adult’s declining health and increasing care needs. Whether it’s about Alzheimer’s, dementia, fall risk, stroke recovery, or another health condition, their denial can make you feel angry, stressed, and frustrated. We explain why someone might be in denial and share 3…
Gratitude is a quick and easy way to reduce caregiver stress A quick, easy, and effective way to reduce caregiver stress is to practice gratitude. Gratitude is about noticing that there are some good things in your life, no matter how difficult things get. Calling attention to the positive things helps you shift perspective and see that things are not always completely…
The holidays often bring added stress along with the joy of the season. To help caregivers cope, FirstLight Home Care shares seven ways to reduce and manage holiday stress while still caring for an older adult. The holiday season is upon us, and this time of year often brings with it the joy of holiday decorating, the giving and receiving of gifts,…
Caregiver stress is unavoidable, but can be managed Stress is an unavoidable part of being a caregiver. But for long term health and well-being, it’s important to find ways to take care of ourselves and manage stress. In addition, when we’re feeling better, we can be even better caregivers. To help with that, put together a list of 14 practical stress relief…
Caregiving can strain sibling relationships For some families, working with siblings to care for aging parents can be almost as challenging as the caregiving itself. In an AARP article from Dr. Barry Jacobs, he talks about his experience working with his brother to care for their mother and the challenges and conflicts that come up for most siblings. We share his 5…
Caregiver guilt is common, and stressful Caregivers often have very high (and often unfair) expectations for themselves. That can add a significant amount of stress and guilt to an already tough job, reduce your quality of life, and make it harder to care for your older adult. Dr. Barry J. Jacobs, an AARP caregiving expert, has years of personal experience caring for…
