Taking Care of Yourself to Be a Better Caregiver

The statistics are staggering. Far too many people diagnosed with Alzheimer's or a related dementia outlive their family caregivers by 5 years or more. The reason is clear stress plays an important role in your wellness. Relief is nearby. All you need to do is call us for support and resources.

Here are 20 things you can do to relieve stress and take care of yourself.

1. Ask for and accept help.
2. Stay in touch with friends and family. Social activities can help you feel connected and may reduce stress.
3. Find time for exercise most days of the week.
4. Get your hair done! When you look great, you feel great. Have a family member, friend or neighbor come in and help the short time you are gone.
5. Prioritize, make lists, and establish a daily routine.
6. Save your favorite TV program on DVR, and watch it with your favorite cup of tea and your feet up while your parent is taking a nap.
7. Find time in the day for your favorite hobby. You can set up a special movie or have your parent work on a favorite hobby while you do yours.
8. See your doctor for a check up. Talk to him/her about any symptoms of depression or sickness you may be having. Ask your doctor about taking multivitamins.
9. Try to get enough sleep and rest.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Meditate. Sit still and breathe deeply with your mind as quiet as possible whenever things feel like they are moving too quickly or you are feeling overwhelmed.
12. Take a break. Make arrangements for any necessary fill-in help from family, friends, volunteers, or professional care givers.
13. Try to find quiet time for yourself to do something you enjoy such as reading, listening to music, or visiting with a friend. Read the book you haven't been able to get to!
14. Eat well, eat plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, proteins and whole grains. Indulging in caffeine, fast food, and sugar as a quick pick me ups also produce a quick let down.
15. Indulge treat yourself to a massage, a manicure, or a nice dinner out. Reward yourself for the care you are giving!
16. Set manageable expectations and limits be realistic about what you can and cannot do.
17. Involve make a list of jobs you need help with, and share it with friends and extended family members and call Sollievo for a list of providers.
18. Get household chores done by having your parent help. For example, while you prepare the meal your parent can assist in setting the table.
19. Carve out some time each day to do that favorite relaxing thing with your parent. Was it long walks together hand-in-hand? Was it listening to music?
20. Find someone to talk to. Sharing your frustrations and joys with a caring friend or your Sollievo advisor will help ease the journey.

Sollievo can help. We have monthly education sessions to teach you and your family the care strategies you need to successfully keep your family member at home. Strategies such as...
How to substitute an activity for a behavior.
How to change your surroundings to encourage activities.
Breaking up activities into simple, do-able steps for ease of daily care.

And don't forget about the Sollievo Provider Network - your resources for taking care of all the chores and errands you can't - or don't want to do.