Balancing Personal Health Issues and Family Caregiving

Family caregivers spend a lot of time and energy as they take care of seniors and other family members. Often that means that they don’t have a lot of time and energy left over to take care of themselves as much as they should. When family caregivers start to experience their own health challenges, it becomes more urgent for them to find some balance. That’s where respite care can become a valuable resource for families.

Ignoring Personal Health Has Consequences

So often family caregivers spend their time selflessly, but they can push themselves to exhaustion when they’re not careful. Avoiding doctor’s appointments, neglecting rest and nutrition, or ignoring symptoms is a recipe for a lot of trouble. Family caregivers experience a lot of stress, which can cause sleep problems and contribute to chronic health issues like high blood pressure. Getting back to good health takes time, which is why family caregivers sometimes need a little help.

Respite Care Supports Healing

Respite time involves family caregivers having access to temporary support from professional caregivers. These caregivers can take over for family caregivers, allowing them to spend their time and energy elsewhere. This type of care is incredibly flexible, allowing family caregivers to set up regular weekly time away or to take respite time on short notice if they need to. Because home care providers are experienced and compassionate, family caregivers can take the time away that they need for themselves without worrying or feeling guilty at all.

More Benefits Than Time Away

The obvious benefit of respite care is that family caregivers are able to take time away, which is important. But there’s more to it than that. Family caregivers also get a chance to reconnect with other people in their lives, pursue hobbies that they enjoy, and renew their energy. All of these things are powerful for recovery as a family caregiver. Seniors and family caregivers each get time apart to spend with other people, which makes the time they have together that much more special again. Relieving frustration and heading off burnout are essential for family caregivers.

Making Respite Routine

Because so many family caregivers push themselves to keep doing as much as possible, they often don’t realize that they need regular time to just rest. Setting up respite care as a regular part of their weekly routine can be a perfect solution. At first, this can feel selfish. But routine respite time that family caregivers take isn’t selfish at all. It allows family caregivers to do more to prevent bigger problems down the line. When family caregivers take better care of themselves, it’s easier for them to take care of the people they love.

Striking a proper balance between caring for someone else and caring for themselves is a big project for family caregivers. They’re much more likely to be successful if they have some help from respite care services to help them feel comfortable taking time away safely. Balancing personal health while caring for someone else is difficult, but with the right help it is very possible.

If you or an aging loved one are considering respite care in Yonkers, NY, please contact the caring staff at Griswold Care Pairing for Scarsdale & Yonkers today. (914) 337-5028.