5 Tips to Minimize Holiday Home Care Stress in New Hampshire

Even the most wonderful time of the year can quickly spiral out of control when you factor in caring for a senior loved one on top of all of the holiday shopping and wrapping and baking and decorating! At Live Free Home Health Care, the respite care Concord experts, we fully understand the time and energy required to provide high quality senior care, and the toll it can take on an individual who doesn’t balance that responsibility with plenty of self-care. As our gift to you this holiday season, we offer the following five tips to help reduce stress and take care of yourself – which in turn will enable you to provide even better care to those you love:

  1. Eat a well-balanced diet – When you’re stressed out, you may tend to overeat. When you’re exhausted, it’s easy to resort to whatever is handy; quick snack foods, tea and toast, cheese doodles and soda. You need high quality food to perform well.
  2. Get regular exercise – Exercise is the original “feel good” tonic. It helps you sleep better and wake up refreshed and ready to face another arduous day. Regular exercise improves both your mental and physical wellbeing, keeping your mind alert and body fine-tuned and energetic.
  3. Get enough rest – This may be easier said than done, especially if you’re caring for someone who tends to wander at night. Still, most people need six to eight hours of sleep a night to maintain good health. Catch up with cat naps if necessary.
  4. Take time out for yourself – Whether you’re caring for a parent, spouse, or other relative or friend, you need time for yourself. You need outside interests, other people, and a way to escape from the constant pressure of caregiving. It’s easy to let friendships lag when you have important things to do, but friends can get you through some tough times, just by being there.
  5. Consider joining a support group – If you feel alone and isolated in your role as caregiver, talk to other caregivers. They’ll know what you’re up against; they’ll understand where you’re coming from. Think of it as therapeutic socializing—you’re not actually escaping from your role as caregiver.

Most importantly, keep in mind that no one can do it all, and it’s important to partner with those who share your passion for providing the highest quality, most devoted and dependable care to your senior loved one. That’s our mission at Live Free Home Health Care, and we’re here for you to share in the day-to-day tasks of caregiving – from bathing and grooming, to transportation and accompaniment on outings, to a cozy afternoon with a cup of tea and some good conversation – and everything in between. With our trusted respite care in Concord, family caregivers have the opportunity to take some much needed time away to relax, knowing their elderly loved ones are receiving the best possible care and attention. We invite you to contact us  at your convenience to arrange for a free in-home assessment and to discover the possibilities for an enhanced quality of life, for both you and your loved one!