At Angels on Call, we want to ensure that our Home Health Aides in Lebanon PA are provided with the support caregivers need. While being a caregiver can be a rewarding experience, it is also physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally exhausting. If you’re caring for an elderly or disabled family member, respite care from Angels on Call can help. However, your self-care doesn’t stop with respite care. Here are tips to help caregivers care for themselves.
Home Health Aides in Lebanon PA: Create and Lean on Your Support Network
Build a network of friends and family that you can turn to for support. Don’t be shy about going to them. Often, we’re happy to help friends and family. Usually, time and ability are the only obstacles. Some ways you help friends and family be ready to step up when you need help include,
- Creating a shared calendar so that you can plan ahead and people can sign up to help you out
- Ask friends and family what kinds of activities they can or would be interested in helping out with
- Don’t take “no” personally, and be open to asking for help at a later time or with a different task
Talk to Your Doctor
If you’re feeling anxious or depressed, talk to your doctor. Your doctor can provide you with exercises to help you improve your stress and reduce exhaustion. If necessary, they can provide medication to help you manage depression and anxiety. Importantly, your doctor can provide you with vital resources like support groups and recommendations for respite services.
Home Health Aides in Lebanon PA Should Prepare Respite Services
Respite care can provide you with a short break from your caregiving responsibilities, allowing you time to take care of your home, see to your own healthcare needs, or just take a needed break for yourself. Interview health care providers in Lebanon, PA, like Angels on Call, to see who offers the services and flexibility you and your loved one need.
Incorporate Self Care into Your Routine
Being a family caregiver demands almost constant attention. It is important, however, to incorporate a little self-care into your daily routine. Exercise is a good addition to incorporate into your routine (and, depending on your loved one’s needs, it can even be incorporated into their care). Just 30 minutes of exercise a day can improve your physical and mental health; This can involve walking, gardening, or stretching, activities that can be incorporated into most care routines.
Exercise, however, isn’t the only regular self-care you need. You should make sure that you provide yourself with daily downtime, even if it’s only a short while to read or listen to music. If you find that you don’t have enough time for downtime, look at the care you’re providing.
When we care for a close family member, like a spouse, child, or parent, it can be easy to get caught up in doing everything we can for them. This often happens at our own expense. While we want to ensure their needs are met, doing too much isn’t good for ourselves or for them. The goal of home care is to help your loved one live independently. Discuss your daily routines together. You may find that while many of the activities need your assistance, a few don’t. Those few can give you the needed downtime to ensure that you’re the best you to care for your loved one.
Are You Looking for Elderly Care Services in Philadelphia?
Angels on Call is here for your family. Contact us to talk about your loved ones’ needs and set up a free in-home consultation.
