In-Home Care: As 2022 gets underway, it’s time to make your New Year’s resolutions.
Put self-care at the top of the list this year. Self-care is all about taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. When you’re a family caregiver, it’s easy to place so much focus on your parents’ care needs that you forget to take care of yourself. It’s time to change that. Hiring an In-Home Care provider can give you the help you need to take a little time for yourself.
What Is Self-Care?
Self-care is the most important thing to do as a family caregiver. It’s more than seeing your doctor and dentist to make sure you’re healthy. If there are health issues, you’ll work with your doctor to find the right treatment plan, but there’s far more to self-care than this.
When you take care of yourself, you also focus on your emotional and mental health. You’re taking time to socialize and have time to yourself. You plan days where you do things you love and ignore everything else. You may decide to go for a long walk in the woods or spend a day at the spa.
Studies have shown the benefit of socialization. If you’re so busy helping your parents that you never see your friends, you could be increasing your risk of depression and chronic health conditions like heart disease. Instead, take days off each week to see your friends. Go to a restaurant or visit each other in your homes for drinks and board games.
In-Home Care: How Do You Balance Self-Care and Your Role as a Family Caregiver?
You can’t ignore your parents. They need you, and it would put their health and safety at risk if you left them alone. How are you supposed to fulfill your role as a family caregiver when you also need to care for yourself?
Start by asking other family members to chip in. If you get one day off per week, it gives you a chance to start embracing self-care. Ideally, you want at least two days off, just as you’d have in the working world.
If you work full-time and balance that with your parent’s care needs, it’s more complex but equally important. You need time to unwind from work, and you need to take breaks from your responsibility to your parents. Your family members may not be able to help out as much as you need. Look into companion care at home to ensure you get breaks.
Companion care at home is one of the best ways to always have time for self-care. Caregivers spend time helping your parents with personal care, grooming, housekeeping, and more. Gather a list of questions and reach out to an In-Home Care specialist to schedule caregiver visits.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring In-Home Care in Goodyear, 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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