Visiting Angels Home Care Presents: Support and Care for the Family Caregiver

As the family caregiver, it can often be overwhelming handling all of your responsibilities. You are depended on daily by your job, spouse, kids, and other loved ones. Those of us at Visiting Angels Home Care know that you are not alone, as there are over 60 million family caregivers currently in the US. Balancing your responsibilities is not easy, and it’s important to remember that you are doing a great service.

Due to advanced medical treatments and increasing life expectancies, the number of family caregivers in the US is increasing every year. As this trend is likely to continue into the future, it’s important that we support our caregivers since they give so much back to others.

If your family member needs care, Visiting Angels Home Care can offer some tips about what you can do to prepare for your future as the family caregiver:

• Educate yourself. Try to learn all about your loved one’s illness. If you know the symptoms and ways in which the illness progresses, you’ll be less anxious and more prepared. Your doctor will also appreciate that you will be better able to communicate during appointments with your family member.
• Find support. If you feel the frustration setting in, find someone who can identify with your situation to provide comfort and advice. Family caregivers can find an outlet through various local and online support groups.
• Ask for help. It’s about impossible to do it all alone. Know your limits and reach out to friends, family, or professional caregivers for help. All it takes is to ask!

Family caregivers often get lost in their day to day activities and forget that they can receive support in many ways from their family and outside sources. Friends and family can help lighten the load with cooking, running errands, or even more complicated tasks like filling out financial documents. The first step you can take is making a list of tasks that are too much too handle, and ask for help.

Many family caregivers find that they need assistance and turn to professional agencies, like Visiting Angels Home Care, for respite care services. Respite care offers a temporary reprieve so family caregivers can recuperate and get things in their life back in order. According to Larry Meigs, President, and CEO of Visiting Angels, “Respite care allows you to get away and spend some time focusing on your own health and wellbeing. It is a necessary and important aspect of being a caregiver. It helps you to refocus and prevents caregiver burnout.”

It is as important for family caregivers to take care of themselves as it is to take care of their loved ones. In addition to setting up respite care for your family member, you can stay ahead of the game by taking the following steps.

• Keep a journal to document emotions and relieve stress through writing.
• De-stress often. Try yoga, meditation, or other activities that bring stress levels down.
• Join a support group to talk about your feelings.
• Balance your life activities. Continue to see your friends, read books, or visit your favorite places. Do anything that makes you happy.
• Eat right and get regular exercise. This is a great way to relieve stress and to keep you healthy and energized.
• Get enough sleep. You’ll be more productive, active, and level-headed.

At Visiting Angels Home Care we know it’s not easy being a family caregiver. The job demands constant dedication and is often thankless. You are doing the right thing during this difficult time by caring for your loved ones who need you. In order to be there for them, you must also take care of yourself.