Self-care is really important for older adults, as we’ve discussed. However, it’s important for caregivers to take care of their mental wellness. Caregiver burnout can be very serious and even dangerous for caregivers. As always, I’m going to be specifically talking about professional caregivers here. Of course it is just as, if not more, important for family caregivers to practice self-care.
Make Time for Socialization
If most of your interactions are with your clients, then it can be good to get out and regularly socialize. This has the added benefit of maintaining your support network, which you need as a caregiver. And you can do this as often as you need to in order to feel refreshed. Do not force yourself on weekly outings if they make you miserable.
Exercise
Caregiving can be physically demanding, so staying fit is vital. Consider trying yoga for the meditation benefits as well as the stretching. Any kind of movement that you love and will regularly be able to do is what matters in this instance. Be sure to do this for yourself, though. You can do something to help make work easier that also is something that you are doing to help yourself.
Therapy
There are times when the stress of your very emotionally taxing job is too much for you to healthily handle alone. There is nothing wrong with seeking out counseling. In fact, some may find that therapy is crucial to their stressful jobs. Of course, make sure you’re not breaking confidentiality in your sessions, but that shouldn’t be an issue.
This was a quick one today, if you’d like to learn more let me know. I am working on a much longer post that I should be publishing later this week.
