Do You Sometimes Forget About You?

Continuing to be a caregiver means, oddly enough, that you have to pay attention to your own needs. That’s something that confuses many caregivers because it seems as if it’s the opposite of what should happen. But if you’re not taking care of yourself, you can’t take care of anyone else.

Homecare in Bridgehampton NY: Do You Sometimes Forget

Figure Out How to Move More

Moving more gets your blood flowing, strengthens your muscles, and builds your stamina. But as a caregiver, you might feel as if you never have the time or the energy to move more. It’s important that you figure out how to work exercise into your life, even if you only increase your activity a little bit at a time. Now’s the time to make the change.

Rest Is Vital

You also need to examine how much rest you’re getting. Sleep is one of the easiest things to scrimp on when you’re short of time, but it leads to bigger problems. When you’re not getting enough sleep you’re not able to keep up with all of the various demands that are constantly knocking on your proverbial door. Reevaluate your sleep habits and start getting more of it.

Are You Eating Regularly?

Exercise and rest are bad enough, but the typical caregiver is also not great about eating well. If you’re not eating regularly or the meals you’re eating are full of empty calories, meaning they have fewer nutrients than calories, you need to make some changes. The fuel you’re putting into your body needs to be able to keep you going.

Assess Your Needs Regularly

You spend a lot of time assessing your elderly family member’s needs, but how often are you checking in with yourself? It’s important to understand what it feels like when you need rest when you need to eat when you need to move. Being more in touch with yourself is going to allow you to be able to give yourself what you need when you need it. That, in turn, allows you to be a better caregiver.

Get Help More Often

When you’re paying attention to your own needs more you’re going to start noticing that you need more help than you realized. If asking for help has proven difficult for you in the past, caregiving will teach you how to get comfortable with getting help. With assistance, you’re going to be in a better position to take care of your senior’s needs and your own.

You can forget about yourself while you’re caregiving, but that won’t last for long. Eventually, you’re going to be forced to pay attention to yourself. It’s far better for everyone if you make that change on your own.

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring Homecare in Bridgehampton, NY, call the caring staff at Artful Home Care today at 631-685-5001.