Life is full of traditions. One common tradition at this time of year is making New Year’s resolutions. If family caregiving is one of your responsibilities, why not resolve this year to become a healthier, more organized caregiver? To help you have the best start to the New Year, here are some helpful tips to guide your caregiver journey.
- Take care of your health. Make sure you’re eating nutritious foods and sleeping enough every night. Stress and poor diet will take a toll on your physical and mental health.
- Find time for exercise. Exercising can give you a boost of energy that will carry you through your day or serve as an outlet to wind down after a long shift. Exercise can improve your overall mood and mental health, so aim for at least 20 minutes a day!
- Join a support group. Learning from others who are also caregiving can help when unfamiliar challenges arise.
- Ask the tough questions. Conversations about wills and end of life care can be difficult but it’s important that every person’s wishes for end of life care are expressed and respected. A good place to start is with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, The Conversation Project.
- Seek out help when you need it. Check with family and friends to see if they might be able to help with a few household chores or provide an hour or two of respite so that you can take some time for yourself. Consider hiring professional help for personal care and other tasks that are too physically demanding for you to manage. Kind Connections, a private care program of HomeCare, Inc. can help. Look for more information on all the services available on our website here.
Wishing you health, happiness and stress-free caregiving in the coming year!