Caregiver Tip Tuesday: Make Time For Yourself.
Caregiver Tip Tuesday..
Today’s #CareGiverTipTuesday is brought to you by the folks over at Elder Care at Home ( https://www.eldercareathome.org/tuesday-tips-for-caregivers-caring-for-your-mind-body-spirit/ ). And that is taking the time to keep yourself present and fit with the proper mood to handle what is often the stressful job of caregiving.. and more, avoiding #caregiverburnout.
Among the many duties #caregivers face and one of the more challenging aspects can be to get completely caught up in the care that you give, becoming completely selfless giving your all 24/7.. We’ve seen green caregivers with that gung-ho attitude bright and ready, finding themselves volunteering for too many shifts, pounding coffee and eventually winding up with symptoms of severe stress and what’s worse, a bodily injury that puts them on the injured reserve and out of work for months. And the lack of a great, motivated and spirited caregiver is felt by the entire company and the people they care for.
Just a few things you as a caregiver should take stock of:
Looking after your body and health..
-It might be tempting to skip meals or eat junkfood on the way to work because the fast food drive thru is the only thing open. But if you pack a healthy lunch and make breakfast the night before, you’ll have a full day of sustained energy to focus on the important task of keeping your resident or client healthy.
-Making time to stretch so you don’t pull a muscle.
-Making sure to get to sleep at a set time.
Taking stock of your feelings
-It’s sometimes helpful to seek help after a favorite resident has passed on. Thankfully there are lots of free options for caregiver support from the Hospice services we use. They are there to talk.
-Talking with your friends about what’s going on (with HIPAA considerations of course); sometimes it’s just good to vent.
Making time for you.
-A good caregiver will put the resident ahead of themselves. A great caregiver will keep a balance of their personal life and the right amount of dedication to their professional life.
-Do nice things for yourself. Sometimes taking a warm bath in epsom salt or booking a massage is just the right thing to melt away stress.
