10 Ways to Deal With Caregiver Stress

Care-giving for a loved one can simultaneously be one of the most rewarding and most stressful periods of a person's life. All too often, caregivers neglect their own needs, and this leads to burnout and an inability to continue effective care giving. Below are ten vital tips for caregivers to continue looking after both themselves and their loved ones.

1. Get enough sleep. Fatigue leads to depression and poor decision making; a good night's sleep can make an enormous difference in the body's ability to cope with stress.

2. Eat regular, nutritious meals. Like sleep, the role of eating right cannot be underestimated. Cooking bulk meals and buying healthy snacks makes this easier.

3. Get some exercise. This doesn't have to mean leaving for long runs or gym sessions; DVDs or home exercise equipment can give caregivers the opportunity to be active without going far from their charges.

4. Talk to others. Too many caregivers keep their stress bottled up. Trusted friends outside of the family can be good listeners.

5. Avoid negative self-talk and guilt. Caregivers have a tendency to feel that nothing they do is enough. Most likely, though, caregivers are doing the best they can.

6. Acknowledge frustration and other negative feelings. It's possible to avoid negativity as suggested above without bottling up negative feelings. The key is to avoid wallowing in or acting on those feelings.

7. Explore meditation and prayer. Mental health can be greatly improved by spending just a few minutes per day in either of these activities, and they can be tailored to fit the caregiver's belief system.

8. Ask for help. Too often, caregiving within a family falls mainly to one person. Caregivers should not hesitate to ask others for assistance.

9. Take breaks. Many caregivers feel they cannot take even short breaks to themselves, but it's important to have a few hours off here and there from constant caregiving.

10. Look into outside services. There are both community and private resources that provide activities and other services for elderly and others in need of care.

Visiting Angels is a home care agency that can provide many services from shopping assistance and meal preparation to weekend, live-in and longterm care. Caregivers who call on Visiting Angels will find a number of options that allow their loved ones to continue receiving the best care possible while taking steps to look after themselves as well.