Caregivers in St. Petersburg FL
Some family caregivers aren’t sure that taking a vacation is something that they can do or that they should do. The truth is that taking a vacation can do so much for both you and your elderly loved one. You need occasional breaks and time away from being a full-time family caregiver. Giving yourself that time allows both you and your elderly loved one to come back to caregiving with a fresh attitude.
Why a Vacation Is Necessary
Being a family caregiver means that you’re on call all the time and you’re likely on the go all the time. That leads to stress, even if you’re doing what you can to manage it to the best of your ability. Taking a vacation from your caregiving responsibilities means that you’re able to focus entirely on something besides providing care to your elderly loved one. This allows your brain, your emotions, and your body to reset and to recharge itself.
How to Manage the Logistics
The first thing to do is to sit down and map out what you and your elderly loved one need while you’re on vacation. Do you need someone to simply stop by and spend a little time with your loved one or does she need someone with her day and night? Are there specific tasks that need to be done? Start making some lists so that you can line up exactly the help that you need while you’re away.
Line up a Plan B and a Plan C
Perhaps you’ve got family members, friends, or even neighbors who are able to pitch in while you’re on vacation. Just having a plan isn’t enough, though. You’ll need a backup plan and possibly at least one other backup plan. Family members may be willing to help, but if something happens and they have an emergency of their own, you and your loved one might be left winging it. Save yourself some trouble and start looking now for those additional options. Find another family member who can help or hire home care providers who can step in for your original helpers. Make sure that everyone involved knows where to go and who to contact if the situation should get to the Plan B or Plan C stages.
Enjoy Yourself and Relax
Once you have your plans and your backup plans in place, it’s time to take that time away. You’ve done your homework in advance, so allow yourself to relax and to enjoy yourself while you’re gone. Even if you’re only going to be at your own home, let yourself have that experience. If you let yourself worry and fret the entire time you’re away, you’re not going to be recharging as you hope. Allow yourself to check in, but limit it to once a day.
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring In-Home Caregivers in St. Petersburg, 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.
