Why Self-Care For Caregivers Is So Important

If you’re caring for a senior loved one then you probably already have heard from many different sources about how important self-care is. It’s Self-Care Awareness month so even though self-care is always important, this month is a great time to focus on self-care. Taking the time that you need to focus on fulfilling your own needs matters because you’re going through something that’s incredibly difficult. The physical stress of caregiving can be intense, but the emotional stress has a big impact on your well-being also. That’s why it’s so important to get 24-hour home care for your senior loved ones on a regular basis and give yourself some breathing room to process everything that you’re going through.

Emotional Self-Care Essentials

Doing things for yourself like getting a manicure or taking a hot bath are self-care, but you shouldn’t neglect other forms of self-care that aren’t as trendy but can have major long term benefits for caregivers like:

Exercise

Caregivers often neglect their own physical health in their efforts to take care of everyone else. But exercise does more than keep your body strong and help you maintain a healthy weight. Exercise helps reduce stress and improve mood. It can help relieve the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Making time to exercise daily is one of the best things that you can do to take care of yourself. Get a 24-hour home care provider to be with your senior loved ones for an hour or two so that you can go swimming, take an exercise class, go to the gym, or even just go for a fast walk. Make exercise a priority for your health.

Therapy

Caregivers are going through big emotional changes as they watch their parents get older and sicker. It’s very common for caregivers to be grieving for their old relationships with their senior parents and to be afraid of the losing them. Talking to a professional psychologist or counselor will give you a safe space to talk about all of your emotions and professional therapeutic tools that you can use to manage your feelings. That will help you process what you’re going through so that you aren’t as likely to experience burnout or to develop anxiety or depression.

Support Groups

Caregiving is tough, especially if you are caring for a senior loved one with a progressive disease like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s that involves a lot of physical and emotional care. Getting together with other people who are going through the same thing can be very helpful in making sense of your feelings and processing the confusing, difficult, and sometimes heartbreaking things that you’re experiencing as a caregiver.

Hobbies

Hobbies are essential. Hobbies allow you to spend some time doing something you just enjoy just for the experience of enjoying it. Without that life can become very bleak and colorless. Whether it’s making art or joining a friend for a round of gold make the time to pursue some hobbies just because you enjoy them.