Why Is Respite Time Important?
Respite time is something that you might have avoided in the past. You might worry that other people would call you selfish for taking time away or perhaps you tried it and felt guilty. Whatever your reasons are, there are big reasons for trying again and taking respite time regularly.
You’re Human and Humans Need Rest
You don’t think about it this way, but you’re only human. As a human, you have hobbies, interests, and other things you need to do. One of the things you need to do is to rest from every other thing that you do. But when you’re a caregiver, you feel compelled to keep pushing yourself. That’s not the healthiest choice for you and it can lead to burnout.
Other People Can Help Your Senior
You might start to think, even without realizing it, that you’re the only person who can help your elderly family member. But there may be other family members who would help more often if you’d only let them. Even if it’s just you and your senior, having help from elder care providers can make a huge difference. They can show you tips and tricks, too, that make caregiving easier on you and your senior.
Nobody Is Able to Bring Their A-Game Constantly
As much as you want to, you’re not on top of everything all day, every day. You probably have some systems that work really well and you’re great at caregiving. But there are times when you’re just not focusing like you need or want to. That’s also part of being human and it’s often an indication that you need to rest more. Give yourself that time away so that you can have more frequent opportunities to bring out your A-Game.
Thinking about Caregiving All the Time Is Exhausting
When you’re not taking breaks, you’re deep into caregiving all the time. You’re constantly worrying about every little detail and that gets exhausting. Taking some time away from that and getting some breathing room allows you to focus on anything else for a little while. Your brain needs that break, even if you don’t think that it does.
Taking respite time is not selfish or something that you’re doing because you don’t care about your senior. Hiring senior care providers and then taking time away that is just for you allows you to come back to caregiving fresh and with a clear mind.
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring Home Care in Montauk, NY, call the caring staff at Artful Home Care today at 631-685-5001.
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