Posted on: April 16, 2023
Stress is unavoidable, and in fact, not always a bad thing. After all, as the saying goes, “A diamond is just a piece of charcoal that handled stress exceptionally well.” Yet particularly for family caregivers, the amount of stress can rapidly increase and become frustrating, and if not handled well, result in significant health problems.
Try these three ways to reduce caregiving stress and realize a healthier and much more peaceful lifestyle – both for yourself and the people you cherish:
- Alter your self-talk. Over the span of each day, you will probably find yourself entertaining thoughts like, “I cannot accomplish this!” or “Everything is going wrong!” Stop when negative thinking begins to intrude, and say to yourself instead, “I’m able to handle this, one step at a time,” or “Help is attainable whenever I want it.”
- Take a break. Deescalate stress through any or all the following strategies:
- Breathe deeply (inhale to a count of 4; hold for a count of 4; exhale to a count of 4; hold for a count of 4; repeat as necessary)
- Take a stroll or take part in some other types of physical activity
- Pray or meditate
- Listen to favorite music
- Write in a journal
- Reach out to a good friend
- Try a stress-busting pursuit. There are a variety of rewarding activities that can divert your focus away from whatever was causing stress and onto something more favorable, such as creating art, reading, playing with pets or children, working in the yard or on a DIY project – the options are limitless, and even as little as 10 or 15 minutes invested in the experience can really help.
There are even apps especially engineered with family caregivers in mind to help eliminate stress and regain calm. Find four that are particularly helpful here from DailyCaring.
Caregiving stress is especially prevalent for many who feel as though they have no support system, and have to look after almost everything on their own. Thankfully, we have a solution! Call the top senior care advocate, Alivity Care Advocates, for the resources, guidance, and support you need. Just some of the many ways we can help include:
- Professional care assessments and advice
- Serving as a trusted, local representative for family members living at a distance
- Caregiver counseling and support
- Placement recommendations and consultations
- Facility tours with seniors and their family members
- Home safety evaluations
- Conflict resolution and crisis management
- Community services referrals
- Medical care management and wellness support
- And much more
Contact us online or at (248) 375-9125 and find out how a senior care advocate makes an enormous amount of difference in cutting down on stress and restoring a healthy life balance for family caregivers, and to see if our services are available in your community.