When you are a family member providing care for an aging or chronically ill loved one, you experience a broad range of emotions, challenges and rewards on a regular basis. In fact, very few if any emotions don't come into play at one time or another during caregiving – and sometimes, the full spectrum of emotions can happen entirely in one day. Perhaps one of the most difficult feelings to manage, however, is dealing with guilt; feeling as though you should be doing more for your loved one and less for yourself.
If you are a family caregiver dealing with guilt, here are 3 simple tips to keep in mind:
- Avoid isolation. Articulating your feelings to a trustworthy friend, relative, or professional counselor is very important in order to see the situation from a more objective angle and to release the weight of all of those feelings.
- Put your feelings onto paper. Keeping track of your feelings and thoughts in a journal is therapeutic on its own, but also allows you to be able to review your writings at a later time and learn from them. Don't just write about the negative feelings. Also include positive comments. This can raise your spirits on days when you really need it.
- Listen to others who have been there. While kind but inexperienced friends and family may have a lot to say about how you should or should not be feeling, there is nothing better than the words of someone who truly understands what you are going through. Finding a support group of other family caregivers, particularly if their loved one shares a similar diagnosis, can make a world of difference when dealing with guilt.
For more information and tips on caregiving for your older loved one in the Chicago area, or to discuss questions about in-home respite care, call on Independence-4-Seniors Home Care at (630) 323-4665.