Taking Care of the Caregiver

by Charles D’Alessandro | Leave a Comment 

caregiver

Care of the caregiver is an important part of the job

This is the third in a series of blogs on caregivers, their loved ones and assisted living in Brooklyn.

In the previous blog post, we focused on caregivers and relocating your loved one in Brooklyn. This blog post will focus on you, the caregiver.

  • Are you a baby boomer, a 50-something?
  • Are your kids graduating high school and/or college?
  • Are your kids unable to find jobs?
  • Did your parent’s caregiver take advantage of them and embezzle funds, lots of funds, from your parent?
  • Do you feel that everyone needs your time or that you are being pulled in all directions?
  • Does the money you earn keep flying out the door for emergencies or the unexpected financial needs of your kids and/or parents?

Do you wonder:

  • “When and how can I plan for my future?”
  • “How can I retire at 65?”
  • “Is it possible to save for retirement if I am taking care of everyone else?”
  • “Should I move my parents into an assisted living facility or move them in with us?”
  • “When is it going to be all about me?”

As a baby boomer who has taken on the weighty role of caregiver, you face a greater chance for sizeable health problems, such as:

  • depression (studies show that roughly 46 percent to 59 percent of caregivers are clinically depressed)
  • chronic illness (high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity)
  • possible decay in quality of life
  • even the possibility of an earlier death

Reports show that caregivers battle with:

  • sleep deprivation
  • poor eating habits
  • failure to exercise
  • failure to stay in bed when they are not well
  • scheduling and keeping medical appointments for themselves

Caring for your loved one can be an exceptionally fulfilling experience. It proves the enormous amount of love and commitment you have for your loved one. But caregiving can be an emotional roller coaster bringing with it enormous stress caused by exhaustion, worry, lack of resources and demands of nonstop care.

Because of the effects of caregiving, you MUST make time to practice preventive healthcare and routine self-care. Pay attention to your own health and well-being while managing all the responsibilities as a caregiver so that you are able to provide the effective care your loved ones need.

Remember, it is not selfish to pay attention to your own needs and desires as a caregiver. Taking care of the caregiver is an important part of the job.

  • Learn and use stress-reduction techniques
  • Attend to your own healthcare needs
  • Get proper rest and nutrition
  • Exercise regularly, if only for 10 minutes at a time
  • Take time off without feeling guilty
  • Participate in enjoyable, encouraging activities, such as reading a good book, taking a warm bath
  • Pursue and accept the help of others
  • Seek reassuring counseling whenever you need it or talk to a counselor, friend or pastor
  • Recognize and allow your feelings
  • Always look for the positive in every situation and change any negative views of situations that you may have
  • Set goals and celebrate each one you achieve

It’s up to you!

Moving your loved one into your home to live with everyone in your family may seem like the noble, loving, dutiful and right thing to do, but is it really in the best interest of your loved one, your spouse, your family and you? This decision is not an easy one to make.

If you have taken on the role of caregiver, and it is time to move your loved one into your Brooklyn home or into an assisted care facility in Brooklyn, contact Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate, or call (718) 253-9600 ext. 206. You can reach me by email, [email protected], also.

 

Recommended Reading –

Moving for Seniors: A Step-by-Step Workbook, Morris, B., 2001, Smooth Transitions.

 

Brooklyn/New York Senior Housing Options –

http://www.aplaceformom.com/assisted-living/new-york/brooklyn
http://www.seniorhomes.com/c/ny/brooklyn/assisted-living/

 

More Resources –

Family Caregiver Alliance
785 Market Street, Ste. 750
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 434-3388
(800) 445-8106
Website: caregiver.org
E-mail: [email protected]

Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) seeks to improve the quality of life for caregivers through education, services, research and advocacy.

FCA’s National Center on Caregiving offers advice and information on current social, public policy and caregiving issues and provides assistance in the development of public and private caregiver support programs.

Family Care Navigator – FCA’s online directory of resources for caregivers in all 50 states. Includes resources for older or disabled adults living at home or in a residential facility, and information on government health and disability programs, legal resources, disease-specific organizations and more.

Article Resource: https://caregiver.org/taking-care-you-self-care-family-caregivers

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