Have you recently assumed the role of a caregiver to a friend or loved one? You’re far from alone. According to Family Caregiver Alliance, there are approximately 43.5 million informal caregivers in the U.S. providing unpaid care to an adult or child. The vast majority, around 75%, are female. These hard-working ladies fulfill a number of important roles, helping with everything from simple activities of daily living to medical and nursing tasks.
Informal caregivers—often overworked and undervalued—can fall victim to all kinds of mental and physical health issues. Taking time for self-care is essential. Of course, this is easier said than done! Here are some self-care tips to help you fit self-care into your busy caregiving schedule.
Delegate Some of the Work
Delegating some of your caregiving tasks can make more room in your life without sacrificing the quality of care your recipient receives. Since female caregivers are more likely to handle the most difficult caregiving tasks, like dressing and bathing, women can really benefit from hiring people to help with their workload. A house purchasing agency might help you sell your property quickly for financial or personal reasons. They repair it quickly and easily so you can go on. Homebuyers are often flexible. They’ll arrange for you to visit the home and make an offer. Visit https://www.sellmyhousefast.com/we-buy-houses-new-york/can-you-sell-a-house-in-foreclosure-new-york/.
The amount of work you can delegate will largely depend on your budget. If money is tight, stick with affordable home cleaning and lawn care services. Homeowners typically pay between $30 and $80 for lawn care services that consist of general mowing, trimming, and debris removal. You can expect higher costs for services like hardscaping and irrigation.
Other inexpensive services can save you even more time. For example, you can shop for groceries online and have them delivered right to your care recipient’s door. You can even have meal kits or ready-made meals delivered to cut down on meal preparation. Besides delegating work, be sure to take advantage of all the discounts and free services available to seniors and their caregivers. These services can ease financial stress and give you back some free time.
Treat Your Body Well
Exercising, eating healthy, and getting enough sleep will help you better handle the burden of caregiving. When these three facets of health suffer—as they so often do when we’re overworked—our ability to care for others suffers as well.
You don’t need hours of free time every day to take care of your body. Look for small ways to fit healthy actions into your normal routine! For example, if you have 10 minutes of free time before breakfast, burn through a quick bodyweight workout in your living room. Before bed, wind down with a few minutes of stretching. And try to go to bed early! Revenge bedtime procrastination is a common problem among women who spend every moment caring for someone else. Resist the urge to stay up late so you can squeeze in some “me time”. Instead, Well+Good suggests carving out time to meet your own needs during the day.
Find Ways to Relieve Stress
As a caregiver, some stress is inevitable. What’s more, female caregivers tend to face higher levels of stress than male caregivers. While you may not be able to prevent stress completely, taking steps to reduce stress can help you avoid health consequences. Joining a caregiving support group is a great opportunity to relieve some of the negative feelings associated with caregiving. A hobby can also be valuable for keeping your stress levels under control, as can adding some indoor plants and decluttering.
When you’re facing a period of high stress, turn to evidence-based stress relief techniques. Progressive muscle relaxation, mindfulness meditation, guided imagery, and deep breathing can all be effective in relieving stress and helping you gain more control over your feelings. Try different relaxation techniques until you find what works for you!
Women provide the majority of informal care to family and friends. Because serving as an informal caregiver can feel stressful and exhausting, it’s important to make time to care for yourself as well. Don’t feel guilty about fulfilling your own needs. You have to fill up your own cup before you can help others!
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