Keeping your doctor’s appointments after you make them might feel like a foreign concept to you. That’s unfortunately common for many family caregivers. Don’t make that same mistake, however. It’s up to you to prioritize your health so that you can stay healthy and continue being a caregiver.
Your Health Is Important
For so many family caregivers, their own health is just not important. They see no reason to focus on anything other than their care recipient’s health, because that’s what caregiving is all about. What this does, however, is cause potential problems for you on so many levels.
Caregiving Puts Stress on Your Body
Being a family caregiver is extremely stressful. If you’re ignoring the signs that your brain and your body are sending you, they’ll start sending you louder signs. Stress-related illnesses are extremely common and they are completely preventable if you’re paying attention to your health. Left untreated, stress can become so terrible and taxing on you that you eventually have no choice about whether you’re able to continue caregiving or not.
It’s More than Your Doctor, Too
In case you think this is just about going to your doctor once a year or so, there’s more to your health than just that. Your eye health and your dental health are important, too. All of these pieces fit together into your total health picture. If any of these are out of balance or giving you trouble, it affects more than that one piece of your life. And anything that affects you also affects your ability to be a strong caregiver.
Put a Priority on Your Health
When you put a priority on your own health, you’re able to keep yourself on your caregiving path. Blaming caregiving for keeping your time is an excuse that you should avoid. Hire home care providers or arrange for family members to stay with your elderly family member for you. Then you can focus on what you need, coming back to your caregiving duties when you’re fully ready to do so.
Caring for yourself can make you a stronger and better family caregiver. If you’re not on board with that plan, you need to change your point of view.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering senior care in Orinda, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care. Call today: (415) 795-2203
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