Whether your elderly loved one has cancer, dementia, or another serious health condition, there aren’t any typical days. Things are very chaotic and may seem completely out of your control. With everything that is going on, you may feel extremely stressed. This is a normal response, but you don’t always have to feel stressed. There are ways of fighting off the stress as a family caregiver, such as hiring an elder care aide.

Building a Support Community

It isn’t feasible for you to spend all your time taking care of your elderly loved one. You must take the time to care for your own health and pursue your own life, too. When friends and family members ask how or if they can help you, let them know exactly how they can. It might be your sibling spending the afternoon with your elderly loved one playing games, while you go home and take a nap. It might be an aunt driving your elderly loved one to the store, so you can catch up on your favorite television show. You can get support, so you can practice self-care time. The support you receive doesn’t only have to be when you have a task or some responsibility to take care of. Last, but not least, you may want to consider hiring elder care providers, so they can help out when you need to do other things, too.

Joining Support Groups

Did you know there are many different types of support groups that someone can join when they take care of a senior citizen? If you are taking care of your elderly loved one that has cancer, you might want to join a cancer care support group. If you are taking care of your elderly loved one who has dementia, you may want to join a cancer care support group. You can always look online to find a list of support groups for the purpose you need them for.

Using Your Downtime Well

When you get the support for your elderly loved one that they need and get support for yourself, too, everyone can start feeling better. In addition, when you have free time, you should make use of it well. There are many things you can do including:

• Relaxation strategies
• Participate in activities you enjoy
• Exercise
• Nap
• Watch a movie or television show
• Go for a walk
• Visit a friend

These are just some things you can do when you take a break from family caregiving.

Conclusion

Do you take care of your elderly loved one who is ill? If so, this can be very tiring and overwhelming. It is important that you get additional support for your elderly loved one and be sure to get support for yourself, as well. That way, you can take time out to do things that relax you and that are fun for you, too.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elder Care in Atherton, CA, and the surrounding area, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care.
Call today: (415) 795-2203

Sources

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/

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Evan Loevner

CEO at Aviva In-Home Care

As a former hospital administrator, I launched Aviva with the goal of having a more focused, direct impact on the delivery of care than I could ever accomplish within a hospital setting. For me, the joy of running an organization like Aviva In-Home Care is having the ability to positively improve the lives of individuals needing customized care. As a passionate Bay Area resident, I know that many local seniors can benefit from new approaches to in-home care, that will bring them more connection to the community, and provide families with a greater sense of comfort that their loved one is indeed matched with an ideal caregiver.

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