Caregiver stress is inevitable, and in fact, not necessarily a bad thing. After all, as the saying goes, “A diamond is just a piece of charcoal that handled stress exceptionally well.” Yet especially for family caregivers, the level of stress can very quickly escalate and start to become overwhelming, and if not handled well, result in challenging health problems.
Try these strategies to manage caregiver stress and attain a healthier and more relaxed lifestyle – both for yourself and the ones you love:
- Alter your self-talk. Through the span of every day, you’ll find yourself entertaining thoughts such as, “I cannot do this!” or “Everything is going wrong!” Pause when negative thinking begins to intrude, and say to yourself instead, “I can take care of this, one step at a time,” or “Help is accessible when I require it.”
- Take a break. Deescalate stress through any or all of the following strategies:
- Breathe deeply (breathe in to a count of 4; hold for a count of 4; breathe out to a count of 4; hold for a count of 4; repeat as needed)
- Take a walk or participate in some other types of physical activity
- Pray or meditate
- Listen to favorite music
- Write in a journal
- Phone a good friend
- Try a stress-busting activity. There are a variety of engaging activities that can divert your focus away from whatever was generating stress and onto things more positive, such as creating art, reading, enjoying pets or children, working in the garden or on a DIY project – the options are endless, and even as few as 10 or 15 minutes spent on the activity often helps.
There are even apps especially developed with family caregivers in mind to help cut down on stress and regain calm. Find five which are particularly effective here from DailyCaring.
Caregiver stress is particularly widespread for many who feel as though they have no support system, and have to manage everything alone. Thankfully, we have a solution! Call Independence-4-Seniors Home Care for an in-home consultation to learn how we can assist in your caregiving duties, allowing you the crucial time away to destress, with services including:
- Planning and cooking nutritious meals
- Help with personal care and hygiene
- Taking care of housekeeping chores and laundry
- Running errands, including buying groceries and picking up prescriptions
- Accompaniment to medical appointments and interesting outings
- Companionship to brighten every day with stimulating conversations, games, puzzles, hobbies, etc.
- Medication reminders
- And so much more
Email or call us at (630) 323-4665 and find out how our Western Cook County elder care makes a world of difference in controlling stress and restoring a healthy life balance for family members.