If you’re getting too run down too often, it’s difficult to be a good caregiver. You may find that you’re getting sick more often or that you simply don’t have the energy to keep up with what caregiving demands of you. What you need to do is to focus on your own physical health.
Make and Keep Doctor’s Appointments
Caregivers need to visit their own doctors in order to stay healthy. This is particularly important if you have health concerns that need regular monitoring. Make it a point to not only make but keep appointments at your own doctor’s office and heed the advice you receive.
Eat Well and Exercise Regularly
Eating well and exercising often are two big tools in your arsenal of staying healthy as a family caregiver. Your doctor can be a significant help in this area, so it’s important to bring this up during your visits. Determine what types of foods are best for your current and future health needs and make a change to your eating habits if necessary.
Get Plenty of Quality Sleep
Sleep is underrated when it comes to how much it can help you to not only manage stress but stay healthier overall. If you’re having trouble sleeping, talk with your doctor about what you can do in order to correct the situation. It’s possible that there are underlying health concerns keeping you from sleeping as well as you would like.
Avoid Stimulants and Depressants
Stimulants and depressants, including coffee and that occasional glass of wine, can be harmful if you’re using them as coping mechanisms. Take the time to assess how you’re utilizing these types of tools because they can keep you from being as healthy as you want to be.
Pretend You’re Caring for You
If you’re like the average caregiver, it might feel difficult to pay so much attention to yourself when you’re trying to care for someone else. One easy solution is to pretend that you’re a care recipient and that you are actually caring for you. This is true, on one level, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. The thing is, making this slight shift in thinking can help you to realize that you can’t keep neglecting yourself.
Taking the time to focus on your own health is vital if you’re planning to continue being a family caregiver.
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Caregivers in St. Pete Beach, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.
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Becky Moultrie is Owner and Administrator of Assisting Hands Home Care Serving Pinellas. Guided by a motto to Do Good with Love, she’s well positioned to do just that at Assisting Hands. She has a passion for helping families keep seniors and those who are diabled happy and healthy at home. She serves on a number of boards in Pinellas County including the Pinellas Park Gateway Chamber and Better Living Seniors (BLS), leading the Membership Committee. Annually, she hosts a Silver Santa Party, collecting donations for nearly 100 low income seniors in the county. She attends Blessed Sacrament Church, Seminole where she is an Ascribed Member of the Rosminian Order. When not busy Doing Good in the community, Becky is at home with her husband David & their 4 children, tending to their beehives and digging in the garden.