New Year’s resolutions: we love to make them, and can’t help but break them. Perhaps you’ve been motivated to eat better, lose those stubborn ten pounds, quit a bad habit, or exercise more regularly; but life has a way of disrupting our best intentions, and this is especially true for those acting as family caregivers for an elderly loved one.

To make a real difference in the quality of life for yourself, and therefore the senior loved one for whom you provide care, and also to discover a New Year’s resolution you’ll actually want to adhere to in the months and years to come, try one of these suggestions, courtesy of Hillendale Home Care:

  1. Be thankful to yourself. Recognize the tremendous selflessness required in caring for another, and make a point to thank yourself through regular, small rewards: a favorite treat from the ice cream shop, lunch ordered in, the latest book from your favorite author, or fresh cut flowers.
  2. Take time for self-care. Pre-flight emergency instructions stress the need to verify your oxygen mask is on before assisting somebody else, and this is also just as true on land as in the air. Caring for yourself allows you to provide the best quality care for your loved one. So keep regular medical checkups, get lots of rest, and make sure you’re eating a diet that is balanced.
  3. Seek out support. Finding a support group for family caregivers, particularly one for a condition your family member is battling, such as Alzheimer’s disease, lets you know you’re not alone. The Web provides a wealth of resources for online support groups if attending meetings that are in-person is difficult.
  4. Release emotions. Providing care for somebody else is often a task wrought with emotions, from fear to anger to frustration to helplessness. It’s important to find a safe and productive release for these emotions, through journaling or talking with a trusted friend or counselor, as an example.
  5. Request help. No man – or caregiver – is an island, and you can likely find plenty of willing friends, next-door neighbors, and other relatives who would love to offer help, if only they were asked. It’s a sign of strength, not weakness, to accept help.

 

Hillendale Home Care can be available to partner with you with trusted in-home senior caregivers. Our respite care services help family caregivers by providing senior care experts who are fully experienced and trained in a variety of aspects of care:

  • Personal care, for instance bathing and dressing
  • House care, such as light housework and laundry
  • Companion care, including participating in conversation, playing cards and games, and participating in hobbies and interests
  • And much more, according to each senior’s needs

 

We invite you to contact us at 925.933.8181 or contact us online for a free in-home assessment to explore just how we can share the care journey with you – and help you keep your New Year’s family caregiver resolutions to provide the very best care for your senior family member.