Caring for a senior loved one brings with it so many rewards, but at the same time, it can also leave family members feeling drained, stressed, and overburdened. Meeting another person’s needs goes hand in hand with having less time to meet our own needs. We can’t do it all, and eventually something (or someone) will suffer: our job commitments, relationships with others, enjoyable activities, or even our own self-care. And along with the stress, there’s often another concern: guilt.
It’s human nature to feel reluctant to ask others for help, and in providing care for a loved one, we often feel like we know better than anyone else what the person needs. However, this approach can actually be dangerous to one’s physical and mental health. Caregiver stress can grow rather quickly into caregiver burnout, with symptoms such as feeling:
- Hopeless
- Impatient
- Irritable
- Helpless
- Hopeless
- Lethargic
- Unable to sleep
- Less energetic
- And more
And while the caregiver is struggling with stress, the senior also suffers. It’s therefore so important for family caregivers to make sure they have a strong network of support in place, instead of trying to go it alone. Live Free Home Health Care offers these helpful tips to lower stress levels and avoid caregiver burnout:
- Take control. Feeling empowered in your caregiving role, to the extent possible, can improve attitude tremendously. It can help to remember that your providing care is one solution, and there are other options to explore if it becomes too difficult.
- Stop the blame game. It’s only natural to empathize with your senior loved one’s feelings regarding the circumstances he or she is in, and your ability to make things better – and to begin to wonder, “Why me?” It can be helpful to try to focus more on accepting the situation and discovering the positives, such as growing closer to your loved one through additional time spent together.
- Seek assistance. One of the hardest parts of caring for a senior loved one is accepting help, but it’s so crucial to both the caregiver’s and the senior’s wellbeing. Trusted family and friends, or a trusted professional senior care company like Live Free Home Health Care, can help share responsibilities and alleviate stress.
Live Free Home Health Care of New Hampshire provides safe, reliable, expert home care services for seniors that help family caregivers avoid caregiver burnout. It’s well known that seniors receive a better level of care when their caregivers are rested and less stressed. Our services are tailored to each person’s unique needs, including:
- Transportation and accompaniment to doctor appointments and other outings
- Planning and preparing nutritious meals
- Light house work
- Friendly companionship
- Errand-running
- And more
To learn more about improving quality of life for your senior loved one, while reducing your own level of stress, contact us at 603-217-0149.