You may have care coverage lined up, whether that’s in the form of other family members or your loved one’s senior care providers, but you just don’t know what to do with yourself. Try making a list of the types of activities you might fit into that time.

Taking Care of Your Health

Quite often a caregiver spends a lot of time and energy focusing on her elderly loved one’s health and precious little time and energy focusing on her own. When you take time away from being a caregiver to make it a point to care for your own health, which is positive and empowering for you as an individual. It also makes sure that you’re in good physical health so that you can keep being a caregiver.

Taking Care of Your Social Needs

Just as your elderly loved one can’t isolate herself and remain emotionally healthy for long, you also can’t do that. It’s essential that you take the time that you need to nurture your own friendships and other relationships. You don’t have to spend a set number of hours per week focusing on your own social needs, but you do need to spend some time focusing on that area.

Taking Care of Your Personal Life

You’re spending a lot of time managing your loved one’s personal life, most likely. But how much time are you devoting to your own personal life? It’s possible that you’re allowing quite a few different things to fall through the cracks simply because you don’t have the time or energy to sort those situations out properly. Take the time to do that so you aren’t picking up the pieces later.

Anything Not Related to Caregiving

Some family caregivers really have a tough time discovering what taking a break from caregiving entails. If you’re in doubt at all, ask yourself if what you’re planning to do with your “free” time, ask yourself if those plans are related to caregiving in any way, shape, or form. What you’re aiming for when you take a break is to remove yourself temporarily from everything that has to do with caregiving. That way you’re mentally and emotionally ready to come back to it later.

If you’re still not taking regular breaks from caregiving, you need to change that as soon as you can. If you or an aging loved one are considering in-home senior care in Dallas, TX, please contact the caring staff at Assisting Hands of Preston Hollow today at (214) 760-6944.