Five Ways to Help Yourself Avoid Burning Out
One of the last things that you want to do as a caregiver is to push yourself to the point that you burn out. You may need to adjust a few of the things you’re doing in order to avoid caregiver burnout.
Revamp Your Organizational Routines
Caregiver Darby, PA: Five Ways to Help Yourself Avoid Burning Out
When you’re disorganized, that burns time and energy. You might feel as if you don’t have time to spend getting organized, but you don’t have to do it all at once. Even small steps toward being more organized help you to start finding what you need a lot sooner. If you don’t already use a calendar or a planner, now might be the time to get one.
Stay in Touch with What You Need
As a caregiver, you’re likely checking on your senior and on other people in your life to make sure they have what they need. But if you’re not checking in with yourself, you’re likely neglecting some big needs. If it helps, pretend like you’re someone that you’re taking care of and check in with yourself on a daily basis.
Keep the Lines of Communication Open
Communication is key for caregivers. You’re communicating with your elderly family member, with other family members, and with your senior’s medical team. Finding a way to make sure that you’ve got a clear and simplified means of communicating with everyone you need to communicate with ensures that you don’t get overwhelmed with unnecessary extras.
Take Breaks as Often as Possible
Taking time away is crucial. You need to have regular breaks throughout the day as well as longer breaks where you are able to put caregiving to the side for a period of time. If you find it difficult to take breaks, that’s even more reason that you need to be making sure you don’t skip them. Find respite care coverage and then plan time away.
Remind Yourself Why You’re a Caregiver
It helps when you’re having a tough day or week to remember why you’re doing what you do. You’re making a difference as your senior’s caregiver, but it might not always feel as if you are. Keeping a journal can help you with this, as can talking with a friend you trust.
Keeping yourself going doesn’t have to be difficult. The main thing to remember is that you need to take care of yourself. If you can focus on that goal, you stand a greater chance of avoiding burnout.
If you or an aging loved one are considering a Caregiver in Darby, PA please contact the caring staff at True Direct Home Health Care today.
Doc, as he is called by everyone - staff, patients and clients - first experienced home health care and hospice care while as a colleg student at King's College as he cared for his mother every day while she first battled COPD and then lung cancer. It was during this time that he came to understand that caring for a patient was more than just clinical expertise.
"Admittedly, my strongest attribute is my communication skills and the simple fact that I love to help people. Even the smallest thing you can do for someone really can mean so much to them long term. In fact, it could change them forever. That's what providing quality personal home health care should be all about."
In his spare time, he cooks for homeless shelters and children's music and arts events. He also is highly involved in his local youth sports soccer academy as a coach and Board member.
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