On the third Friday of February, the health care world recognizes National Caregivers Day. This recognition honors individuals who selflessly provide personal care, and physical and emotional support to those who need it most. Naturally, we all tend to think of those professionals who put in countless hours of caring at the bedside in facilities across the country. But it’s just as important to recognize those who are not trained professionals. There are millions of children, spouses, siblings, and more who look after a loved one. In fact, approximately 43.5 million caregivers have provided unpaid care to an adult or child in the last 12 months, alone.
These are caregivers for a life, not for a living. They face a unique set of challenges we want to address for National Caregivers Day. Coping with these duties is a tremendous responsibility. Caregivers often feel they must tend to their loved one’s needs full time. But if you’re burned out, you can’t help anyone. That burnout can also negatively affect your own health. You can’t take good care of someone else without taking care of yourself. It’s not selfish. It’s vital. Take a break. Eat right. Get out and exercise. Most of all, accept that you can’t do everything yourself.
All the things you do aren't equally important – as the saying goes: “if everything is important, then nothing is”. Set priorities. That way you won’t be busy all the time. Look after your health. Go for a walk each chance you get. Take a long bath. Lift your spirits by having lunch with a friend. Or just sit around and do nothing for an hour. Take a nap or relax.
This is one of the most difficult things for a committed caregiver to do – but it’s also one of the most necessary. It is hard to let anyone else take on any of the responsibility with you. But those who care about you really do want to help. Knowing you can count on others can be a relief. Caregivers need to share duties with others. Set a schedule and say, for example, "On Sunday, you can take Mom to church; on Monday, you can drive her to the store," and so forth. Accept help when it’s offered. Be willing to ask for help when you need it. Understand that “help” can take many forms. Personal care service can provide a helping hand for just a few hours a week for a caregiver to get a break. Hospice volunteers can sit with a patient for a time to allow a caregiver to go run errands. Hospice respite care provides several days of custodial care that allows caregivers a real rest.
Over time, after a serious health event, stress should slowly lessen. But your life may have changed. Realizing this may cause grief, both for you and your loved one. Contact your health care provider if either of you shows signs of depression. Treatment can help you find hope, even when you think nothing can help. Signs of depression can include:
Caregiving isn’t just being a nurse. Caregiving can be transportation, grocery shopping, housework, or preparing meals. Caregiving can also mean help with getting dressed, getting out of bed, eating, and incontinence. Whether you call yourself a caregiver, or simply a good daughter or son, you know that caring for an aging parent, spouse, or friend has its rewards and its trials. If you are a caregiver, or expect to be one someday, preparing to cope with what that means for you is vital. AccentCare is here to help you in your role as a caregiver – with advice on handling the stress of being a caregiver, with in-home services, or simply a helping hand.