April is Stress Awareness Month, and it’s an important time to sit down and consider your role as a family caregiver and how that impacts your emotional and mental health. Here are five things you have to keep in mind, including in-home care, as a family caregiver.
Chronic Stress Can Impact Your Overall Health
Some stress is normal, but excessive stress that goes unmanaged can increase the risk of chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Some of this comes down to dietary choices made during high-stress periods.
You’ve had a busy day and you’re exhausted. Cooking a healthy meal is not appealing. A juicy burger and fries with a pint of beer are more your style right now. So, you opt for the less healthy option. Stress eating isn’t ideal, so it’s important to find ways to ease the stress that doesn’t involve stress eating.
Mood disorders like anxiety and depression are also more common in people experiencing unmanaged stress. You need to find a way to ease stress and take care of yourself.
Get Outside and Exercise to Reduce Stress
Exercise helps reduce stress. Take an hour each day to go outside for a walk. It doesn’t matter if it’s raining. Use an umbrella or put on a rain poncho and rain boots. Bring your mom’s dog if needed. Your mom could walk with you too, it’s just as good for her.
If she can’t walk far, at least sit outside to get fresh air. For your exercise, you could put on an exercise video and complete it. Or, get a treadmill and set it up in the home. Read a book while you walk, listen to music, or watch a movie and walk while it plays.
Find and Engage in a Hobby
What hobbies do you enjoy? If you don’t have any, start exploring them and find one you love. A hobby is a great way to ease stress, and some of them leave you with products you can sell or put to good use.
You see some used furniture for free on the side of the road. Pick appealing items up, refinish and repair them, and sell them for a profit. Learn how to bake bread and freeze the extra loaves until they’re needed. You might discover you love painting, gardening, or knitting. Whatever helps you de-stress is worthwhile.
Time Management Is Important
Learning how to better manage your time is one of the first steps to take. If you have too much to do while helping your mom, lighten your load. It’s okay to ask your siblings to help out. If they can’t, or won’t, hire professional caregivers to take over some of the things you do each day.
Take Breaks Often
In-home care services like respite care provide family caregivers with a chance to de-stress and take care of themselves. Talk to an in-home care specialist to learn more about the availability and cost of in-home care services in your area.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring In-Home Care in Avondale, AZ, please contact the caring staff at Blessings for Seniors Companion Care at (623) 594-0819.
Blessings for Seniors makes it possible for older adults to enjoy the comforts of their own home for as long as possible. We offer a customized care plan that includes services such as; Hourly Senior Home Care, 24-Hour Home Care, Dementia Care, Personal Care and Companion Care. Also ask us about our Veterans’ Home Care program.
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