Welcome back!
Whether you are a caregiver to a loved one in your home twenty-four hours a day or you take care of someone daily or nightly in his or her home, at some point in time you will need to address the stress that comes along with being a caregiver.
Recent studies reveal the toll stress plays in the life of a caregiver, including twice as many visits to health-care providers than non-caregivers. Caregivers also consume 70 percent more prescribed medications and visit the emergency room 25 percent more than their non-caregiving counterpart’s visit.
The physical, mental, and emotional toll of care giving has become increasingly well documented during the past decade and further studies are currently on going. Therefore, if you are a caregiver, you need to stay alert for ways to reduce your stress.
Here are five caregiver coping strategies that may help you care for yourself as you care for others.
Seek out and welcome support from family members, friends, and neighbors. Don’t think that you can do it all by yourself. Allow yourself to receive the kindness, help, and support others can provide. If necessary, ask for help. They may not realize what they can do to help lift your load.
Seek support from the medical community. Included in that group are the doctors and nurses who care for your loved one, the mental health community, health care advocates, counselors, and anyone else who is a part of your loved one’s health care team. Many times, if they can’t help you they can refer you to someone who can. The health care community is huge so take advantage of what they have to offer. Many times you can even find free or low cost assistance.
Seek rest and relaxation. There are times when you will need to get away from the situation. Whether you pull away for half a day, a couple of days, or take a weeklong vacation, you must seek time away. You cannot continue to care for someone else if you cannot care for yourself. You will not have the mental or physical energy to continue your caregiver duties.
Seek a healthy lifestyle. Make sure you live a healthy lifestyle of eating the right foods and getting plenty of exercise and fresh air. Take care of your body and it will take care of you when you need it the most. You need the strength and well-being to continue your duties.
Seek time alone on a daily basis. Even if you can only grab a moment or two, you must take time for yourself. You may need to cry, rant, laugh, go for a walk around the block, but you must step away for a few minutes several times a day. Try not to let your emotions get the best of you. Step away and release any excess emotions such as anger or frustration before they cause you and your loved one harm.
There are many coping strategies for caregivers, but sometimes caregivers are so busy in the midst of their duties and responsibilities that they don’t see the bigger picture. It is important to find the time to take a break, seek further support, or get away for a brief and timely vacation.
If you follow these five caregiver coping strategies you will be a better support to your loved one as well as take better care of your own mental, physical, and emotional needs. Caregiving is a stressful occupation. Try not to allow yourself to become one more negative caregiver statistic.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=07f701b2-1e40-4f15-83e1-dee20c964d41)
