Ways for Family Caregivers to Stay Positive

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Being a family caregiver for a senior loved one can have a big impact on your life. Although caregiving allows you to ensure your loved one is taken care of, it may also increase the amount of stress you’re under. It’s important to take steps toward maintaining a positive outlook, boosting your own emotional wellbeing, and providing good care for your loved one. Here are some ways to stay positive while caregiving.

Change Your Inner Talk

As you go about your caregiving responsibilities, you might find you tend to have a harsh inner dialogue. You might berate yourself when your loved one isn’t doing well or listening to you, or you might speak negatively to yourself about being a caregiver. 

Work on changing this inner dialogue to a more positive and encouraging one. Turn negative thoughts into optimistic ones. For example, if you wouldn’t speak to a friend a certain way, you shouldn’t talk that way to yourself.

If your attitude is constantly negative because your duties are becoming overwhelming, seek assistance from a professional caregiver. Families who need help caring for senior loved ones can turn to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of elderly home care. Services available in our customizable care plans include meal prep, mental and social stimulation, assistance with personal hygiene tasks, and much more.

Find Positive Sources of Support

Look for people who add positivity to your life instead of bringing you down. These positive individuals can have a powerful effect on your outlook and attitude. When you find family members, friends, or people in support groups who help you look on the bright side, make sure you set aside time to spend with them regularly. These are the people who can motivate and inspire you to remain optimistic about being a family caregiver.

Take Care of Your Physical Health

Your physical health can impact your mental and emotional wellbeing. When you’re feeling negative or stressed about your caregiving duties, it helps to ensure you’re looking after your own physical wellbeing. Get plenty of sleep, exercise on a regular basis, and eat nutritious foods. Knowing you’re taking steps to stay physically healthy may boost your emotional wellbeing and make it easier for you to maintain a positive mindset.

Whether you need respite from your caregiving duties or your aging loved one needs live-in care, Edmonton, AB, Home Care Assistance can meet your family’s care needs. Our dedicated caregivers are available around the clock to provide transportation to doctor’s appointments, ensure seniors take their prescribed medications, and help with a variety of tasks in and outside the home.

Make Time to Unwind

Being chronically stressed takes a toll on the ability to feel optimistic about caregiving. You can’t completely eliminate stress from your everyday life, but you can work toward minimizing or reducing it. Set aside time each day to unwind and give yourself a break from caregiving. During these times, do something you enjoy, such as reading a book, painting, going for a walk outside, or taking a long bath. 

Practise Gratitude

Thinking about everything you’re grateful for in life may change your attitude to a more positive one. It’s easy to focus on the negative and forget what you’re thankful for. Taking time each day to reflect and express gratitude can keep pessimistic thoughts at bay and encourage more optimistic ones. You might even want to write down what you’re grateful for so you can look back and reflect on those things when you’re feeling stressed.

Seniors can face a variety of age-related challenges. Though some families choose to take on the caregiving duties, there may come a time when they need a trusted Edmonton senior home care provider. Families sometimes need respite from their duties so they can focus on their other responsibilities, and some seniors need around-the-clock assistance that their families are not able to provide. Home Care Assistance is here to help. To learn about our high-quality in-home care services, give us a call at (780) 490-7337 today.

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