The Vital Importance Of Caring For The Caregivers

 

 

Caregivers are particularly special people. They often take an abundance of their time and energy to tend to the needs of their loved ones. In the process, many caregivers neglect to take care of themselves. Unquestionably, offering care to an elderly loved one or individual with mobility issues can be taxing. Both the physical and mental exhaustion of providing care can be substantial. This is why it’s so important to accept respite care.

Respite care refers to the temporary care of a dependent elderly, ill or physically challenged person. Its objective is to provide relief for their primary caregivers. Respite care is vitally important because it helps primary caregivers to avoid burnout in both the physical and emotional sense. We all need breaks. The act of providing care can be very demanding. Caring for the caregiver is essential for the dependent care recipient to receive quality care.

 

Respite care helps to reduce stress.

While caring for a loved one can be very rewarding, it can easily create a source of anxiety and stress. As much as you may always want to be there for your dependent, a lack of self-care can grow your mental health challenges. With respite care, you can step away from your daily responsibilities for a few hours in order to focus on your personal needs. During your break, it’s important to engage in activities that are either restful or fun to put your mind at ease.

The Canadian Mental Health Association also notes that time away from your care recipient can help build his/her sense of independence. “It’s natural to want to help as much as you can,” they say, “However, it’s unrealistic to expect that you can do everything, and it might not be what your loved one needs. Building independence is an important part of recovery. It can be difficult when what your loved one says they need most is not what you think they should be focusing on.”

 

Respite care improves the effectiveness of your care.

Without taking any breaks from your role as a caregiver, you will easily find yourself feeling tired and weak. Remember that it’s necessary for you to maintain your nutrition and exercise regimens to remain in optimal physical condition. By keeping a focus on your physical well-being, you put yourself in a better position to be the awesome caregiver you intend to be. Simply put, healthy, well-rested caregivers provide the best care.

“Taking care of yourself is your most important step as a caregiver,” contends HealthLinkBC, “You may feel better and sleep better if you exercise. One way is to be active in blocks of 10 minutes or more throughout your day and week. Experts say to aim for at least 2½ hours of moderate or vigorous activity a week.”

 

How can Senior Homecare by Angels help you to be the best caregiver you can be?

Our Respite Care solutions provide you with a carefully selected, certified caregiver – one of our “angels”. Your home will be visited three days a week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Each visit lasts for three to four hours so that you can get breaks from your caregiving duties. Our angel can assist such activities of daily living as toileting, dressing, bathing, changing the bed sheets, running errands and preparing healthy meals.

To learn more about the Respite Care services offered by Senior Homecare by Angels, please don’t hesitate to call us at 403-862-0129 or if outside of Calgary, toll-free at 1-877-209-6142. You may also visit our Contact Us page to complete and submit a simple contact form!

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