Caregiver Perspectives for New Year in Dallas Texas:
What are your New Year's resolutions for 2011?Well, it's New Year and caregivers, like everyone else, are probably thinking about things they can do to improve their and their loved once lives over the coming year. Making changes isn't always easy, though, especially when it comes to caring for someone with a progressive terminal illness and disability.
Still, it's always worth putting some effort into setting down goals and expectations for the future. If nothing else, it helps you see what you want to change and put together a plan for making the change. A few New Year resolutions you might want to think about that could help improve the quality of your life and lives of your loved once
1. First and foremost, take care of yourself! You can't provide quality care for someone unless you keep yourself healthy. And that includes your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health. All aspects are important. So, make healthy choices on a daily basis. Eat right, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, manage your stress, and be kind and forgiving of yourself and your loved one.
2. Deal with the issues openly and honestly. Talk with your loved one about what's happening and changes you are seeing. Don't sweep it under the rug, out of fear for the future, or in hopes it will all go away. Reminisce about the past, but also prepare for the future. And live each day, treasuring each moment, to the best of your ability.
3. Help your loved one identify positive changes that could be made and support them through the changes. Sometimes it's hard for us to see what we could change within ourselves because we're too close to it. Provide that objective perspective to the person you're caring for in seeing what they could change to make their lives better. It could be making a simple suggestion on how to better balance activity and rest.
4. Take a break from care giving now and then. Care giving is hard work, no matter how much you love the person you are caring for. It's natural to need a break now and then. Perhaps an afternoon at the park or at a movie would be enough for you. Or you might want a few days away from the stress and responsibility. Don't be afraid to ask for the help and support you need. Hiring professional caregivers and taking a break can help you get back to your routine with positive perspective.
What are your New Year's resolutions for 2011?Well, it's New Year and caregivers, like everyone else, are probably thinking about things they can do to improve their and their loved once lives over the coming year. Making changes isn't always easy, though, especially when it comes to caring for someone with a progressive terminal illness and disability.
Still, it's always worth putting some effort into setting down goals and expectations for the future. If nothing else, it helps you see what you want to change and put together a plan for making the change. A few New Year resolutions you might want to think about that could help improve the quality of your life and lives of your loved once
1. First and foremost, take care of yourself! You can't provide quality care for someone unless you keep yourself healthy. And that includes your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health. All aspects are important. So, make healthy choices on a daily basis. Eat right, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, manage your stress, and be kind and forgiving of yourself and your loved one.
2. Deal with the issues openly and honestly. Talk with your loved one about what's happening and changes you are seeing. Don't sweep it under the rug, out of fear for the future, or in hopes it will all go away. Reminisce about the past, but also prepare for the future. And live each day, treasuring each moment, to the best of your ability.
3. Help your loved one identify positive changes that could be made and support them through the changes. Sometimes it's hard for us to see what we could change within ourselves because we're too close to it. Provide that objective perspective to the person you're caring for in seeing what they could change to make their lives better. It could be making a simple suggestion on how to better balance activity and rest.
4. Take a break from care giving now and then. Care giving is hard work, no matter how much you love the person you are caring for. It's natural to need a break now and then. Perhaps an afternoon at the park or at a movie would be enough for you. Or you might want a few days away from the stress and responsibility. Don't be afraid to ask for the help and support you need. Hiring professional caregivers and taking a break can help you get back to your routine with positive perspective.
