by Emily Cooper
When you’re a “family” caregiver—someone who provides part or full-time support for an older loved one—it’s easy to become so focused on your care recipient’s needs that you ignore or forget about your own. In the short term, you may get away with putting yourself on the back burner; but if your caregiving lasts for some time, neglecting your own needs can be harmful to your health and even to your ability to provide care.
It truly is challenging to make time for yourself when you’re caring for another person, and the biggest challenge often is acknowledging that you have the right to do so. It’s tempting to think that you’ll worry about your own well-being after your caregiving ends. But postponing self-care can be dangerous; studies tells us that caregivers are likely to become ill or chronically depressed if their responsibilities prevent them from addressing their own needs.
As hard as it is, it’s important to keep yourself in the picture. Eat right and exercise, visit your health care provider, find someone to talk to, even get away for vacations if you can. Each person has different ways of taking care of themselves: for some, it’s socializing with friends; for others, it’s a quiet walk or time alone with a journal. Just remember, you have the right – and the need – to do whatever makes you feel healthy and alive.
You give so much to your care recipient; allow them to give you the gift of time off. Let them be a partner with you in their care, so that together you can work on meeting the needs of each of you. Make use of community resources to assist you: respite services, adult day programs, and many others. Learn more by calling the ADRC Help Line at 303-441-1617, by visiting www.BoulderCountyHelp.org, or by talking to your local resource specialist.
You’re worth taking care of!
Emily Cooper is Information and Assistance Specialist for Caregiver Programs with Boulder County Area Agency on Aging. For information on BCAAA caregiver services, call 303-678-6116 or email InfoCaregiver@bouldercounty.org