Combating the Stress of Elderly Care

[JILL HOWE. Visiting Angels]

It is stressful being a caregiver for a parent or loved one, no matter how much you may love them. There is a significant amount of disruption to your life & schedule, as well as the worry & sorrow of watching the one you love become more & more helpless.

There are also feelings involved with elderly care including frustration, guilt, resentment, and hopelessness.

Feeling uanppreciated for all your hard work also contributes to anxiety.

There are some ways of combating the stress of elderly care, including getting help and support, maintaining your health, and staying organized about the patient,s health and care.

Allowing yourself assistance and support is critical to managing stress when caring for someone.

Hold a family meeting with the patient to identify problems & 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 condition like Alzheimers, Dementia, Cancer & Strokes.

Maintaining your personal health is important in helping you deal with the stress of elderly care.

Neglecting your health problems will allow stress to catch up with you easily.

You will not continue to be a strong caretaker if you put your health needs last.

Understanding and communicating your feelings is also part of maintaining your health.

There are fewer negative effects of stress for people who admit and express their feelings.

It is important to stay organized and have an awerness about the details of your loved ones care.

You should educate yourself about legal matters, finances, and support services and have knowledge about the patient,s medical contition

This helps the day to day process move along more smoothly, so you do not become overwhelmed.

In case of an emergency, a list of their Doctos, Hospital, Pharmacy. and medications should be on hand to make an urgent situation less stressful.

Remember......... IT IS OK TO ASK FOR HELP.