As a caregiver, you might find that sometimes bad days take up more space in your head than good days do. If that’s the case for you, you might want to try some of these ideas.
Practice Forgiveness with Yourself
Lots of caregivers have this belief that they need to be perfect as a caregiver. There’s no way for you to do that. What you can do is to be the best caregiver that you can possibly be. Forgive yourself for not being perfect. If you still have trouble with that, think about what you would say to a friend or a family member in your situation. You’d probably have lots of words of wisdom for that person. Write a letter to that person and read it later so you can take the advice.
Check Your Needs
Often when you’re having difficulty with your caregiving journey, a big part of the problem is that you’re overlooking or flat out ignoring your own needs. So start taking a close look at what you’re doing and not doing. You might need to:
- Eat better
- Sleep better
- Exercise more
- Drink water
- Take time away
- Take up a hobby
Whatever it is that is missing in your life is something that you can correct. Work out a way to start keeping better track of what you need so that you’re not running on empty.
Practice Some Empathy
It’s easy to see things from your own point of view because you’re right there. But it’s not always easy to understand why your elderly family member is doing certain things or why she’s treating you a certain way. Practice an empathy exercise where you try to imagine what it’s like to be your senior right now. If she’s not as mobile as she used to be, that can be frustrating. Getting a picture of how she might be feeling can help you to understand why she’s reacting the way that she is.
Take Time Off and Don’t Let Guilt Creep In
You need a break now and again. Taking time away from caregiving is absolutely normal and it’s something you need to start doing if you’re not already doing it. Hire elder care providers to spend time with your senior and take that time to recharge yourself. You’ll see a difference in how you approach both bad days and good days.
If you’re still feeling as if there are more bad days than good ones in your caregiving journey, you might need a little more help. Try talking with a therapist you trust about how you’re feeling and what’s going on. There might be underlying issues that you can work through with the right help behind you.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Minneapolis, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
