Additionally complicated, many people, even those in full-time caregiving roles, aren\u2019t able to self-identify as caregivers.<\/p>\n
Caring for our families is one of the best ways we can invest our time and energy. And it\u2019s because the memories and lessons we share during this experience become our gracious reward for putting the needs of a loved one before our own. I know this feeling firsthand because I\u2019ve spent the past 15 years caring for my mother as she\u2019s dealt with multiple chronic conditions. And even though I wouldn\u2019t trade our moments together for anything, I also know that the act of caregiving comes with some complications.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, when sons, daughters, grandkids, siblings, and spouses help care for older or ailing family members, all those hours of service and stress on behalf of someone else often combine to create new health problems for the carers themselves.<\/p>\n
According to a recent international report on family caregiving conducted by the Embracing Carers\u2122 network, 43% of unpaid caregivers say they put the health of the person they\u2019re caring for above themselves. As a result, 45% of respondents say they don\u2019t have time to book or attend their own medical appointments. And almost half say they feel that their own physical health has suffered as a result of their caregiving duties.<\/p>\n
This challenge is understandable. When it comes to ensuring that a loved one gets what they need to alleviate their pain or manage their condition, many carers won\u2019t think twice to postpone their own obligations. That includes their own doctor\u2019s appointments, gym visits, and social engagements. These are necessary activities and interactions that keep us all healthy and happy. But many of us feel guilty taking part in them when we feel like we \u201cshould\u201d be doing even more to help someone else who needs it.<\/p>\n
Over time, repeatedly canceling those appointments while struggling with the associated guilt can chip away at our own physical, mental, and emotional health. This creates a dark irony: if we don\u2019t pay attention to our own health as we care for another person, eventually, we\u2019ll become less able to provide that care for someone else or for ourselves.<\/p>\n
So, how can you maintain your own health while actively caring for a loved one? Here are five tips to make sure that all your selflessness doesn\u2019t turn into self-sabotage\u2026<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/caregiver-montage-700h.jpg\")
<\/a>Photo: Deposit Photos<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n Whether you meditate in the morning, jog in the afternoon, or have a standing coffee date with friends once a week, stick to it. Caregiving can feel overwhelming because your own identity is subsumed by the needs of another. So, ensuring that you always have some personal time to \u201cjust be you\u201d is critical for maintaining your own health and sense of self.<\/p>\n An exercise regimen is a healthy way to burn off some of your caregiving stress and trigger the release of endorphins. And that will lift your mood, even on your most downcast days. Plus, having a regular routine helps you and your cared-for family member adhere to a schedule. And it gives both of you a tangible sense of structure. For example, when Dave in Pittsburgh needed to provide round-the-clock care for his mother in her final months, he arranged for a caseworker to visit their home every morning so he could go swimming at his local pool. Those two hours of self-care gave him the daily strength that he\u2019d needed to devote the rest of his day to caring for her.<\/p>\n Transporting a loved one to and from doctor\u2019s appointments can be time-consuming. And it\u2019s tempting to simply postpone or cancel your own checkups so you won\u2019t spend all day in waiting rooms or traffic. Instead, consider scheduling your own appointments in the same facility as your loved one\u2019s whenever possible. That way, you\u2019ll get the care you need right before or after, even while, your loved one is receiving their own care.<\/p>\n Uncertainty is a huge source of stress. And when you\u2019re responsible for someone else\u2019s well-being, that stress is amplified. When you join your cared-for family member at the doctor\u2019s office, take notes.<\/p>\n Keep track of all prescriptions, dosages, and potential side effects. Likewise, keep notes on any complications or discrepancies in your loved one\u2019s behavior to share with doctors or pharmacists whenever necessary. The specialists caring for your family member might not all be sharing the same data. And that means your notes could mean the difference between an accurate diagnosis and a missed opportunity.<\/p>\n Caring for a loved one is an emotional experience. And it often feels like something that we can\u2019t talk about with others in fear of seeming like we\u2019re needlessly complaining, especially compared to what that person is experiencing. But your stress, frustration, exhaustion, and other experiences as a caregiver are completely valid.<\/p>\n So, being able to discuss them with someone else is a crucial part of continuing to perform those duties with strength and grace. And with so many adults finding themselves in caregiving roles today, having these conversations freely and publicly is the key to erasing any social or workplace stigma associated with the act of caregiving.<\/p>\n Sometimes, it\u2019s helpful to turn to a network for the advice and comfort of people with similar experiences, but who are outside of your normal social relationships where you\u2019d prefer not to \u201cvent.\u201d Networks such as Embracing Carers\u2122 offer both resources and the opportunity to connect with other caregivers who offer a listening ear and great advice.<\/p>\n Over the next 20 years, more Americans will become caregivers than ever before. By discussing these challenges together, and finding balance, we can alleviate the stress while we strengthen the bonds that keep us caring in the first place.<\/p>\n What about the caregiver?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8092,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[99,100],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fall-2018","category-fall-2018-features"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7979"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7979\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8095,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7979\/revisions\/8095"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8092"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}1. Make Sure You Maintain Your \u201cMe Time\u201d<\/h4>\n
2. Find Time to Exercise Daily<\/h4>\n
3. Group Your Appointments Together Whenever Possible<\/h4>\n
4. Document Everything<\/h4>\n
5. Have Someone You Can Talk To<\/h4>\n
Scott Williams is vice president and head of Global Patient Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships at EMD Serono<\/a>. He is the co-lead of an international movement called Embracing Carers<\/a>, which aims to support unpaid caregivers through increased awareness and tangible action.<\/h5>\n
As a former cared-for individual himself and a caregiver for his mother, Williams is a dedicated advocate for the caregiving cause.<\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"