Caregiver Care
Flickr by Per Ola Wiberg (Powi)
Being a caregiver is a tremendous responsibility. It is critical that you remember to take care of yourself when you are facing such challenges.
There are a wealth of resources on the Internet for caregivers:
National Alliance for Caregiving
Alzheimer’s Association CareFinder
Family Caregiving 101 is one of our favorite sites for caregivers. The site reminds caregivers that caregiving is not all up to them. There are a host of community resources available. The site contains information on: the stages of caregiving, how to manage, how to reach out for help, where to look for help, public policy and the media, how to assist a caregiver, etc.
The National Family Caregivers Association provides ten tips for family caregivers:
- Remember that you have a life of your own. Your loved one’s illness or disability should not control your life or always remain the primary focus.
- Be good to yourself. Making quality time for yourself is imperative.
- Seek out professional help if you start to witness signs of depression.
- Learn to accept help when people offer to lend a hand. Let them know specific things they can do to help.
- Educate yourself about your loved one’s condition.
- Allow your loved one to be as independent as possible. There is a difference between doing and caring.
- Trust your own instincts. More times than not, your instincts are correct.
- Allow yourself to dream your own dreams.
- As a caregiver, you also have rights – - stand up for those rights.
- Look to other caregivers for support. It helps to know that you are not alone.
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