Strategies to Reduce Caregiver Stress

ACCEPT HELP

• Identify the biggest caregiving hurdle and brainstorm solutions with a trusted family member or friend.
• For those in the “sandwich generation” providing care for parents and children, carefully assess stressors. Discuss ways to simplify and assign responsibilities to others in the home.
• Schedule a Care Plan visit every year at Memory & Movement Charlotte (MMC) to identify and discuss strategies for:
  • The home situation and care needs
  • Stressors and management techniques
  • Future planning
• Read the website document Creating a Care Team for more information on how best to allow others to help.

SELF-CARE

• Share concerns with the MMC team of experts, who are skilled in assisting with ways to reduce stress.
• Connect with a member of your Care Team for support.
• Attend a caregiver support group.
• Talk with a counselor or therapist experienced in life transitions, chronic illness, and caregiver stress. Referrals can be made through MMC or by visiting the website www.psychologytoday.com
• Annual physicals with the Primary Care Physician are essential to monitor health.
• Engage in positive experiences regularly such as:
  • Watching an old sitcom
  • Viewing funny puppy videos online
  • Reading the comics
  • Playing a game
• Identify activities that create moments of joy and perform them more often.
• Practice mindfulness – being present in the moment and noticing the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings surrounding it.
• Schedule alone time to disconnect from the stressors and engage in relaxing activities that promote peace, such as:
  • Prayer
  • Meditation
  • Yoga
  • Taking a walk
  • Listening to or reading an inspirational message
  • Taking a warm bath
  • Manicure or pedicure
  • Massage
  • Visiting a park or museum
  • Dining at a new restaurant (or an old favorite)
• Create an area in the home specifically for relaxing, complete with a comfortable seating area and a stand for placing a book, cup, or plant. Use the area as a retreat during the day.
• Perform hands-on activities that engage the mind, like crafts, arranging flowers, or woodworking.
• Designate one day per week to accomplish tasks associated with running the home (e.g., paying bills, making phone calls, running errands, etc.)
• Consider reducing the number of hours spent at work outside the home or reduce the number of projects. If feasible, request a personal leave from work under the Family Medical Leave Act. Discuss options with the employer.

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

• Engaging in activities with the care recipient can refocus attention on meaningful interactions, rather than care responsibilities.
• Read the website document Engagement Activities for more information.