Stress for a Family Caregiver Is a Given. Overcome It with These Tips

If you’re a family caregiver, it’s important to manage stress.

Stress for a family caregiver is inevitable, and actually, not necessarily always a bad thing. After all, as the saying goes, “A diamond is just a piece of charcoal that handled stress exceptionally well.” Yet especially for family caregivers, the level of stress can quickly escalate and become overwhelming, and if not managed effectively, lead to serious health concerns.

Try these tips to minimize stress and achieve a healthier and more relaxed lifestyle – both for yourself and those you love:

• Change your self-talk. Throughout the course of your day, you may find yourself entertaining thoughts such as, “I can’t do this!” or “Everything is going wrong!” Pause when negative thinking begins to intrude, and say to yourself instead, “I can handle this, one step at a time,” or “Help is available to me whenever I need it.”
• Take a break. Deescalate stress through any or all of the following techniques:
  • Breathe deeply (inhale to a count of 4; hold for a count of 4; exhale to a count of 4; hold for a count of 4; repeat as needed)
  • Take a walk or engage in some other physical activity
  • Pray or meditate
  • Play favorite music
  • Write in a journal
  • Call a friend
• Try a stress-busting activity. There are a variety of enjoyable activities that can distract your focus away from whatever was causing stress and onto something more positive, such as creating art, reading, playing with pets or children, working in the garden or on a DIY project – the ideas are limitless, and even as little as 10 or 15 minutes spent on the activity can help.

There are even apps specifically created with family caregivers in mind to help reduce stress and restore calm. Find five that are especially helpful here from DailyCaring.

Family caregiver stress is particularly common for those who feel as though they have no support system, and have to manage everything independently. Thankfully, we have a solution! Call Hired Hands Homecare, the experts in elderly care in Santa Rosa and the surrounding area, for a free in-home consultation to learn how we can share in your caregiving duties, allowing you the necessary time away to destress, with services such as:

• Planning and preparing nutritious meals
• Assistance with personal care and hygiene
• Taking care of housekeeping chores and laundry
• Running errands, such as grocery shopping and picking up prescriptions
• Accompaniment to medical appointments and enjoyable outings
• Companionship to brighten each day with stimulating conversations, games, puzzles, hobbies, etc.
• Medication reminders
• And so much more

Contact us online or call (866) 940-4343 and discover how a partner in care can make a world of difference in reducing stress and restoring a healthy life balance for family caregivers.

caregiver stress