Taking care of yourself as an elder caregiver

If you provide a caregiving role for an older family member, you may be experiencing exhaustion, caregiver burnout, depression, disagreements with other family members and/or concern about how to get through the day without a crisis.

It is important for you, as a caregiver, to consider your own well being, though most caregivers dont allow themselves regular self-assessments. Many books and articles point to the need for a caregivers physical and emotional health as a prerequisite for appropriate support of a care recipient. Of course, most caregivers dont have time and energy to read books and articles!

It is crucial that you pay attention to your own needs, even if family issues are affecting your emotions. The situation might involve other family members criticizing, disapproving or ignoring your role as caregiver. Perhaps your siblings just dont understand the immense effort required to care for an older family member. If the family circle cannot address these hurdles effectively, it may be necessary to turn to a professional for assistance.

Elder mediation assists caregivers to discuss tough subjects with their family members and to work toward creative solutions that benefit all.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• elder
• mediation
• communication
• family
• elderesolutions.com

[chemistkat58]

There is no one in our town that I know. My car broke down, and no pone will fix. I have not had a day off from caring for mother who is 90 and blind in almost 5 years. I have Aspergers.