My Life as an Informal Caregiver: Stress Management

Introduction

As an informal caregiver of an older adult, there are various stressors that I encounter in my life. One of them is that there is no "off" time in care-giving. I often find myself with little time for myself, as every moment I am occupied with various activities aimed at helping my elderly family member. Sometimes, my sleeping time and pattern is interrupted when special circumstances that need my attendance occur. Also, from time to time, I find myself in a situation where I must make a difficult decision. Such instances occur when the person I take care of is in need of medical attention that is beyond my capabilities. Additionally, little financial support is given to me, which forces me to provide my own money toward my caregiving efforts; this subjects me to financial pressure. Balancing relationships also turns out challenging at times whereby I am expected to balance my attention between the person I care for, the rest of the family and close friends as well. Further, though less frequently, I also experience feelings of isolation, loneliness, and exhaustion during my caregiving activities.

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Plans To Reduce Caregiver Burden

Despite the stressors mentioned above, which I have to endure, the following plans will help me reduce their impact. One of the strategies is having a realistic perception of myself and how much I can do or provide. Although sometimes I do feel guilty when I am not able to do certain things for the person I take care for, I will train myself to accept the fact that no one can be a perfect caregiver. Accepting one's feelings is paramount and this will enable me to recognize that I am doing the best I can. Another strategy that will help me reduce the caregiver burden is sharing information about the person I care for as well as my feelings with others. Such a move will help my friends and family members understand what I am going through which is key to preparing them to provide the support that I may need. Therefore, I will be ready to accept their help whereby one will be free to choose where to assist. Sharing my feelings, while maintaining a strong connection with my family and friends, will give me the social support that I need to keep going.

As part of my plans to reduce stress, I will also pay attention to my own health as well. This will involve the setting of personal health goals such as ensuring I get enough and quality sleep as well as having time for physical activities. In line with what many recommend, I will practice healthy eating while ensuring my water intake is as much as necessary. Additionally, I will try to get the rest that my body needs and this will be coupled with regular appointments with my doctor for screenings and appropriate check-ups. To achieve the best results, the aforementioned strategies will be combined with others such as looking at things from a positive angle and finding an appropriate outlet for my intense feelings, for instance, listening to my favorite tunes will help me when I feel overwhelmed. Therefore, using a combination of the recommended strategies for reducing caregiver stress, I can successfully manage the stressors in my life as a caregiver.