June 16, 2020 by
Stress is inevitable, and actually, not always a negative thing. After all, as the saying goes, “A diamond is just a piece of charcoal that handled stress exceptionally well.” Nonetheless, especially if you are providing care for a senior family member, the amount of stress can quickly intensify and be overwhelming, and when not handled well, lead to serious health issues.
Try these three ways to destress and experience a healthier and calmer lifestyle – both for yourself and the ones you love:
- Alter your self-talk. Through the span of your day, you may find yourself entertaining thoughts such as, “I can’t do this!” or “Everything is going wrong!” Stop when negative thinking begins to intrude, and say to yourself instead, “I can manage this, one step at a time,” or “Help is accessible whenever I want it.”
- Take a break. Deescalate stress through any or all of these strategies:
- Breathe deeply (inhale to a count of 4; hold for a count of 4; breathe out to a count of 4; hold for a count of 4; repeat as necessary)
- Go for a walk or participate in some other exercise
- Pray or meditate
- Listen to favorite music
- Write in a journal
- Contact a good friend
- Try a stress-busting activity. There are a lot of fulfilling activities that can distract your focus away from what was creating stress and onto something more positive, for example, creating art, reading, playing with pets or children, working in the garden or on a do-it-yourself project – the options are unlimited, and even as few as 10 or 15 minutes invested in the activity often helps.
There are even apps especially created with family caregivers in mind to help minimize stress and restore calm. Find five which can be very helpful here from DailyCaring.
Caregiver stress is especially widespread for individuals who feel as though they have no support system, and have to handle everything alone. Thankfully, we have an option! Call At Home Independent Living, one of the top rated home care agencies in Syracuse, NY and the surrounding areas, for an in-home consultation to learn how we can help in your caregiving duties, allowing you the important time away to destress, with services that include:
- Planning and cooking wholesome meals
- Assistance with personal care and hygiene
- Taking care of housekeeping chores and laundry
- Running errands, including grocery shopping and picking up prescriptions
- Accompaniment to medical appointments and interesting outings
- Companionship to brighten every day with stimulating conversations, games, puzzles, hobbies, etc.
- Medication reminders
- And so much more
As one of the top home care agencies in Syracuse, NY and surrounding areas, we’d love to talk with you about how we can help in your particular situation. Give us a call at (315) 579-4663 or contact us online and learn how a partner in care makes a world of difference in controlling stress and restoring a healthy life balance for family care providers.