Is It Time To Hit The Reset Button On STRESS?
The National Alliance for Caregiving estimates more that 65 million of Americans are currently taking care of aging or sick relatives. A lot of us have learned what it means to give tirelessly for our loved ones. Is there an emotional limit to giving for caregivers? What about some kind of pressure relief valve for really tough days?
Many caregivers are stressed out, pulling their hair out with time constraints, money problems and the uncertainty in the job market and financial world. They are totally consumed with the demands of caring for their loved one. It can be difficult to keep an optimistic view of the future with such heavy load to bear.
A typical day with a caregiver looks much the same as the day before. . You drive your elderly parent or relative to their Medical appointment . You get to the house early to compile a list of the latest medications , dosage and frequency – along with all of the over the counter drugs and dietary supplements that are are taken.
Keeping in Touch Solutions offers a medication record booklet for you to record all the medications being taken including Over the counter. There is no charge and may be requested by sending an email.
Before you leave the house You try to remember all the questions you wanted to ask the Doctor…..You remember that your aging parents don’t ask questions and don’t offer much information for the doctor to work with…
After the Doctors visit, you move on to get the prescription filled……this is a land mine waiting to happen. Always talk to the Doctor or Pharmacist before you start a new medication or stop taking a medication. Be sure to share with the Pharmacist a complete list of medications and over the counter medication being taken your loved one…ask about drug interactions that can be deadly.
There are always lingering thoughts about your loved ones deteriorating health and fear of losing them.
There is fear about not being able to do enough and to adequately take care of your elderly loved one.
With dementia and Alzheimer we know we may not be able to fix the problem- so overwhelming.
As caregivers we feel sad and alone. Finding a stress-free lifestyle seems like a dream .
How do you maintain a stress -free lifestyle and still find balance when you are caring for elderly or sick? Much has been said about taking time off to gain some relief. Remind yourself that caregiving is just one phase of of life. We keep reminding ourselves that one day we will be be the aging parent.
So, the one day at a time works with care giving too!
There are ways we can have relief and reset out stress button. On question we can ask ourselves is, what is it that gives me joy in my life? If taking an afternoon walk, having a night out with girlfriends or taking a yoga class are thing you enjoy most -then do it now. Pick up the phone and schedule now.
It is by doing that we find the possibilities of creating the life we want and seek. “We all face stress on daily basis. Sometimes it is situational stress, sometimes it is ongoing and sometimes it is our environment and sometime it is the people in the environment.” said Diana Beam, Founders of Keeping in Touch Solutions.
Take time to retreat and refocus your energies, thoughts and resources on positive situations…the things you can change. It is like taking a tour of your home, you’ll find at least 20 things that you rarely use and five that you use regularly. What happened to the other 15 objects…well ,they are taking up space and require our attention to clean and dust. So it is like the extra thoughts and clutter that clogs up our mind and gives us those destructive “self talks” that ware us down. They are quite useless.- release!
Likewise in our daily schedules, weekly activities there maybe demanding activities and people who are stealing our energy , time and emotional resources. As caregivers for our aging parents, grandparents and neighbors, we have a lot on our plate and can not allow situations or others to drain our energies nor add unnecessary stress to the day.
Guard your thoughts, protect your energy and honor yourself by taking some retreat time- if only a few minutes each day to do the things you enjoy. Share a laugh with a friend, as my friend Dina tell us “you can’t do it alone” Reset your stress button today..
May be time to click your heels and yell
“Help Me – I can’t do it alone”
I’m Calling Keeping In Touch Solutions
We call your loved one every day- rain or shine to check in and be sure everything is ok
You’ll have the peace of mind you desire,
knowing that your loved one is being checked on daily-and
if anything is amiss, you’ll be notified immediately.
Diana Beam is an entrepreneur with a vision and a heart for the elderly. She has more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, long term care administrator, home health care pioneer, senior real estate specialist and owner of Keeping in Touch Solutions. Her passion is to see working women and men with elderly p arents set free from guilt of not having time or proximity to their aging parents and helping the elderly with their aging needs and transition challenges. Diana lives in Indiana with her husband Ron and they have 3 grown children, 2 grandsons and a golden retriever named Hope and a calico cat named Ms Dottie. Grab her free report, 7 ways to provide maximum support to your parents, today.
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