Your title says it all. It may not be on a nametag or a placard on your desk, but everyone knows you are the caregiver, and thus, you provide care for others. If you are the caregiver of an elderly loved one and spend a lot of your time, energy, and love caring for that special person in your life, you might often shortchange yourself from those same gifts. You deserve to spend a little extra time, energy, and love on yourself during this holiday season.
Why Caregivers Need to Find Occasional Respite.
Constantly being on the run providing care for others is stressful, even if it’s fulfilling stress that you never want to give up. By neglecting your own care while caring for others, you increase your risk of developing a health issue, having mental health problems, and neglecting important tasks in your personal life. You might lose friendships and connections that fulfill you and despite being a caregiver, feel more isolated and lonelier than ever.
This holiday season as you provide so much for others around you to enjoy the holidays, it’s also the perfect time to bestow a gift to yourself.
Eight Ways to Treat Yourself this Season
- Attend a Special Event. Maybe this is the year you finally go see your local theater’s performance of The Nutcracker or you attend a fundraiser for your favorite charity. Pick something that speaks to your passions.
- Learn a New Skill. Look for a class that teaches something you always wanted to learn about. Many classes can be easily scheduled if you have respite care set up for your loved one.
- Completely Unplug. Turn off the phone, the computer, maybe even the TV, and spend some time doing absolutely nothing. Of course, it helps if you spend that time doing nothing somewhere you love. Maybe it’s snuggled under five blankets in bed with a book or sitting on a bench in a park.
- Do Something Active. If you love being active but haven’t had the chance to get out and do that then take some time to do the activities you love like hiking in a park or kayaking down a stream.
- Take Care of Chores. Maybe not the most fun way to find some respite, but if being alone helps you get them done much more quickly, it can be great to get those items off your must-do list.
- Sleep. If you’re constantly sleep deprived, a respite day may look like you sleeping in late or taking a nice nap in the middle of the day.
- Enjoy Your Favorite Food. What favorite food have you missed because others don’t like it? Go and enjoy it all by yourself.
- Get Away for a Night or Weekend. With extended respite care, you can unplug with a night or weekend away so that you come back refreshed.
Respite Care Can Help You Find These Moments
Whether you’re looking to treat yourself for just a few hours or a few days, having a trained provider in respite care will help you enjoy your time without fear of your loved one not receiving the care she needs while you are away. Respite care can step in so you can step out.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Respite Care in Islip, NY, please contact the caring staff at Help at Home today at (631) 859-3435
Help at Home is a top provider of home care services in Islip, Babylon, Huntington, Smithtown, Brookhaven, Hempstead & Oyster Bay, and surrounding areas on Long Island & NYC. We serve Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties.
Whether you or a loved one is recuperating from an illness or a senior requiring care, we can help. Help at Home is committed to providing quality home care at affordable rates. Helping a patient remain in the comfort and security of their home is our goal. We are the best alternative to nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Help at Home caregivers
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