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.
