Self-care is a crucial consideration for anyone who is a caregiver of an older adult. As anyone providing care for a loved one knows, the life of a caregiver can be physically, emotionally, and sometimes even financially draining. While many find the role rewarding, it still can be a difficult journey for both the caregiver and the person they care for. Support and self-care are important for maintaining personal well-being while still providing quality care to a loved one. However, many caregivers don’t feel they have the time to engage in self-care — or they simply don’t know how. In this article, we’ll break down what it means to engage in self-care, share some examples, and discuss the benefits of taking a little time for yourself.
What is self-care?
Self-care is the act of taking time to focus on one’s own physical and emotional needs. Caregivers often deprioritize their own needs in favor of the care recipient’s. Many wait until they are feeling symptoms of burnout — such as fatigue, depression, anxiety, and more — to start making time for self-care. Prioritizing time for yourself allows you to maintain your own well-being and provide the best care you can without feeling the extremes of burnout.
Examples of self-care
Self-care looks different for every caregiver. Sometimes, when people think of self-care, they picture something time-consuming, like a vacation or spa day. While these are both great options, a goal that’s too large can be overwhelming and ultimately fall by the wayside. Self-care can become more manageable when it’s something small that you can repeat frequently.
Below are a few common self-care activities for caregivers that may be easier to implement:
- Meditating: Meditation is shown to decrease anxiety and restore focus for many. It takes practice but can be done in short bursts of time. Even just 5 to 10 minutes of focused breathing can have a positive impact.
- Eating well and staying hydrated: It’s easy for a busy caregiver to choose quick, easy meals, but often, these are less healthy options. Taking time to choose healthy meals has an overall benefit for your own health and wellness. Also be sure to drink enough water throughout the day.
- Addressing your own health needs: It’s essential to ensure you’re making the time to take care of your own health needs, such as attending medical appointments. This might take some support from others or adaptations like virtual medical appointments.
- Building a support network: Caregiving can feel isolating, but support groups or therapists can help combat these feelings. Studies find that online support groups can be instrumental in providing a space to connect with others who share your lived experience.
- Exercising: Incorporating exercise into your schedule has many physical and mental benefits. The exercise does not need to be rigorous. Consider walking, tai chi, and yoga, all of which can boost your physical health while easing stress.
- Relaxing activities: Reading, puzzles, and other relaxing activities can provide entertainment while soothing nerves.
- Socializing: Being a caregiver can feel isolating at times. Spending time with friends and loved ones outside of your caregiving duties is important for your mental health and for reducing these feelings of isolation.
- Having simple alone time: Balancing caregiving duties with other personal, family, or career responsibilities can feel hectic. Simply sitting quietly for a short time can bring about feelings of calm. Consider sitting in a cozy spot while drinking coffee or tea or listening to your favorite music.
- Getting good sleep: Sleep is one of the most important aspects of maintaining good physical and mental health. Although it can feel hard to prioritize sleep when it seems like there aren’t enough hours in the day, getting enough sleep ensures you have the physical and emotional energy to provide care and attend to other obligations.
- Asking others for help or hiring respite care: Although it might seem easier said than done, asking for help is a key way to engage in self-care. Asking other family members to take on some caregiving responsibilities can give you more time to use as you need or want. You might also consider utilizing respite care services to provide you with a break and time to recharge.
Start small
Many caregivers find the idea of self-care daunting. It’s normal for it to feel like one more task on the to-do list, but its benefits will outweigh these feelings once you successfully work self-care into your routine. If you’re already feeling the effects of burnout, it’s important to start small. Even something as seemingly minor as taking a few minutes to take a walk around the block, listen to your favorite song, or enjoy a cup of tea can start to have a meaningful impact on your life. Once you experience the positive effects, you can gradually incorporate other good habits that promote your well-being.
Who does self-care benefit?
Self-care has a positive effect on everyone involved in caregiving. When caregivers carve out time for themselves, the decrease in stress results in more patience and energy they can devote to their loved one.
Many find that the demands of the caregiving role decrease their quality time with their loved one. However, through self-care and respite, you can spend higher-quality time making memories and connections with the older adult in your life.
Due to the increased needs of the care recipient, it’s also easy to give short shrift to relationships with other family, friends, and partners. When you take time for yourself, you also gain more energy to devote to other important people in your life.
Self-care for caregivers is an investment both in yourself and in the others around you. Even 10 minutes a day can have a meaningful impact on your health and well-being. Prioritize the time to focus on yourself, and with practice, it will become increasingly easier.
