Combating the Stress of Elderly Care
It is stressful being a caregiver for an elderly parent or loved one, no matter how much you may love them. There is a significant amount of disruption to your life and schedule, as well as the worry and sorrow of watching one you love become more vulnerable and reliant. There are many ways to combat the stress of elderly care, including getting help and support, maintaining your health, and staying organized about the patient's health and care.Visiting Angels Rhode Island is here to help ease the stress of caring for your elderly loved one.
Allowing yourself assistance and support is critical to managing stress when caring for someone. Hold a family meeting and include the patient to identify problems and solutions. Together you can plan the care of the patient and share responsibilities so that you do not try to do everything alone. Seek additional help from professionals, community resources, or support groups for any specific medical conditions like Alzheimer's or cancer.
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Maintaining your own personal health is also important in helping you deal with the stress of elderly care. Getting proper nutrition, rest, and exercise allows for your stable physical and mental health. Neglecting your health will allow stress to catch up with you easily. You will not continue to be a strong caretaker if you put your needs last. This can lead to emotional exhaustion, depression, and illness. Understanding and communicating your feeling is also part of maintaining your health. There are fewer negative effect of stress for people who admit their feeling and express them.
It is important to stay organized and have awareness about the details of your loved one's care. You should be educated about legal matters. finances, and support services, as well as have knowledge about the patient's medical condition. This helps the day to day process move along more smoothly, so that you do not become overwhelmed with the logistics. In case of an emergency, a list of the loved one's doctors, hospitals, pharmacy, and medications should be on hand to make an urgent situation less stressful.
Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services is a home care agency offering compassionate and experienced caregivers to help your loved one remain in their home. We allow you to maintain your schedule and provide a respite for family members providing services such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, hygiene assistance, and companionship.