Family Caregivers: Need a Resolution You’ll Actually Want to Keep? Try These!

New Year’s resolutions: we love to make them, and can’t help but break them. Perhaps you’ve been energized to eat better, lose those stubborn five pounds, quit a bad habit, or exercise more; but life has a way of interfering with our best intentions, and this is especially true for family members providing senior care for a loved one.

To make a real difference in quality of life for both yourself and the senior for whom you provide care, and to discover a New Year’s resolution you’ll actually want to adhere to in the months and years to come, try one of these suggestions, courtesy of Hired Hands Homecare:

1. Be thankful – to yourself. Recognize the tremendous selflessness required in caring for another, and make a point to treat yourself to regular, small rewards as a thank-you: a favorite treat from the bakery, dinner ordered in, the latest book from your favorite author, fresh cut flowers, or whatever makes you happy.
2. Take time for self-care. Flight emergency instructions stress the need to make sure your oxygen mask is on before helping someone else, and this principle is just as true on land as in the air. Caring for yourself allows you to provide the highest quality care for your loved one. So maintain regular medical checkups, get plenty of rest, and make sure you’re eating a balanced diet.
3. Seek out support. Finding a support group for family caregivers, especially one for a particular condition your loved one is battling, such as Alzheimer’s disease, lets you know you’re not alone. The Internet provides a wealth of resources for online support groups if attending in-person meetings proves difficult.
4. Find a release for emotions. Providing care for someone else can cause a lot of strong negative emotions, from fear to anger to frustration to helplessness. It’s important to find a safe and productive release for these feelings, through journaling or talking with a trusted friend or counselor, for example.
5. Request help. No man – or caregiver – is an island, and there are often plenty of willing and capable friends, neighbors, and other family members who would love to provide assistance, if only they were asked. It’s a sign of strength, not weakness, to accept help.

Hired Hands Homecare is also available to partner with you with trusted California in-home senior care. Our respite care services provide family caregivers with aging care experts who are fully trained and experienced in a variety of aspects of care:

• Personal care, such as bathing and dressing
• Housekeeping, such as light housework and laundry
• Companion care, including engaging in conversation, playing cards and games, and participating in hobbies and interests
• And much more, according to each senior’s specific needs

We invite you to contact us at 866-940-4343 for a free in-home consultation to explore how we can share the care journey with you – and to help you keep your resolve to provide the very best care for your senior loved one.

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