For America’s new parents, there’s a vast amount of information out there to help them adjust to their new lives as caregivers of a newborn. From books on “what to expect when you’re expecting”, advice on how to balance child rearing and work, how to respond to the various ailments that babies get, and what to do when you need to ask your boss for flexible hours so you can manage daycare drop-off or pickup, there’s just no end to the guidance and advice that’s available.
But for new family caregivers of aging parents, there are far fewer resources. What America understands about the challenges faced by new parents is light years beyond what’s understood about becoming a caregiver for a senior loved one. Many of us, until we’re faced with these complex issues ourselves, rarely stop to think about what’s involved.
Survival Tips for Caregivers of Senior Loved Ones
So, what does it take to manage life as a new family caregiver? We’ve gathered some advice from people who’ve been there and faced those challenges.
Here are their top three tips and some advice about what it took for them to adjust their lives in order to provide care for a senior loved one.
1. Don’t Lose Yourself in the Caregiving Role
When you start sacrificing in order to care for someone, it’s important to know where to draw the line. Give up too much of what makes you “you” and you’re in danger of losing yourself in the chaos of managing care for your loved one.
Caregivers who carve out time for themselves, no matter how far they’ve stretched their schedules to do so, find that they’re more equipped to tackle the challenges brought on by the caregiving role. In other words, a little “me time” can actually increase your capacity for giving your time to others.
2. Admit That You Can’t Do it Alone
Even if you were to quit your job, give up hobbies, and stop traveling in order to take care of a senior loved one, you’d still need relief from time to time. Accepting help with caregiver responsibilities as well as your own tasks means you’re less likely to burn out, suffer fatigue, or encounter a health crisis of your own.
Some caregivers report that cultivating helpers in the community is important. Of course they rely on family members, but they also looked beyond their inner circle and considered others who cared about their loved one and who could help out in their own ways. It may be as simple as having the neighbor stop by once in a while or having an old friend visit from time to time. It all adds up to relief for you.
3. Master the Art of Becoming Organized
If you’re not already, learn how to become a more organized person. Most caregivers are stretched so thinly they can’t spare much time for anything but the essentials of getting by. Do yourself a favor and figure out how to plan and organize your days and weeks. The added benefit: you’ll have more time for yourself as well.
And caregiving can be a paper-heavy nightmare. Unless you stay organized and on top of things, it can quickly get ahead of you. When that happens, you risk taking on a whole new bucket of problems like unfilled prescriptions, insurance issues, financial mistakes, and other issues that stem from being unorganized with your paperwork.
If you’re a new family caregiver, life may seem overwhelming for you at times. Just remember, there are rewards to be found in your new role, too. Give yourself and your loved one time to adjust, and with a little help, you’ll soon find your groove.
More Resources from Legacy Senior Living
Looking for more advice? Check out our Aging Resources page. And don’t forget, we’re always on call to answer your questions about caring for a senior loved one. Call or email us any time!