Visory Health Caregiver Series:  The Caregiver and Coping

You love and care for someone who cannot otherwise care for themselves. You are one of the over 53 million caregivers in the US.  You may care for a friend, a child, a spouse, or a parent. As our elderly population continues to grow, informal caregivers, or those who do not get paid for caregiving, will be needed more than ever. If you are not already a caregiver, you may be faced with caring for someone who is 75 years of age or older in the future.

Ok, you say, I can do that, no problem. Even though you are willing and able to take on those responsibilities, how you cope as a caregiver can affect your personal health.

In this blog, we will discuss the caregiver and coping strategies to help as you navigate the challenges of caregiving for a loved one.

Caregiving Encouragement

First, let’s talk about some positive attributes of caregiving. Caregiving can be a privilege and rewarding experience.  Caregivers often experience a stronger sense of connection, appreciation, joy, and fulfillment when caring for someone who can’t fully care for themselves.

As a caregiver, you improve the quality of life for your loved one, contributing to their overall sense of well-being. All good and all positive. But caregiving is not without its challenges.

Caregiving Challenges

Most informal caregivers know there is also a cost to caregiving, which may be financial, emotional, physical or any combination of those three.  The expectations for the caregiver include complex demands on time and resources, which can lead to stress and strain on the caregiver and their family.

This is especially true if you are among the 22% of caregivers who work outside the home and try to manage their job, family, and caregiving duties. Juggling all your responsibilities can lead to the caregiver neglecting their own personal health, because you simply don’t have the time to address your health concerns.

According to NIH research, caregivers are less likely to fill their prescription, undertake primary care health screenings, have lower levels of physical exercise, poorer nutrition, and experience sleep difficulty. Caregiving is linked to long-term chronic disease. Overall, caregivers have greater physical and mental burdens associated with their caregiving responsibilities.

But the story doesn’t end here. There are deliberate steps you can take today to start to improve your caregiver coping and by doing so, optimize your personal health.

14 Caregiver Coping Skills & Strategies To Help You Manage

Lifestyle changes and stress management skills can help you cope as a caregiver to avoid stress and burnout.

• Start to move. Simply going for a walk can help clear your mind, get your blood flowing, and help you with positive coping. Health improves with movement.
• Eat the right foods. Junk food and quick snacks can satisfy at that moment, but long-term do not provide the nutrition needed for sustained health. Take time to think about your nutrition and what you feed your body. Food and proper nutrition are medicine for your body.
• Get proper sleep and rest. This is often a challenge in our everyday lives, let alone when you are a caregiver. But sleep is essential and restorative for your health. Ensure a regular sleep routine and get at least 7 hours of sleep a night.
• Develop and use a support system. Whether that includes other family members, friends, or accessing community resources, we all need support through this journey. Check your local community resources to join a caregiver support group near you.
• Take time for yourself and maintain your own hobbies and interests. Do not isolate yourself, maintain current relationships and your sense of self.
• Accept help and ask for help when you need it. We all need help at one time or another in our lives. When you need help, ask for it; when it’s offered, accept it.
• Know your limits and set limits. Open communication and setting reasonable expectations can decrease frustrations and increase your coping.
• Delegate when possible. Get assistance with some of your caregiving tasks by delegating or assigning them to friends or family members.
• Makes lists and prioritize. Lists will help with time management and allow you to prioritize tasks to ensure you complete the most important things first.
• Group errands together. When possible, make one trip with similar errands to save time and resources.
• Write down issues. Clarify issues and write down possible solutions to make more informed decisions.
• Express your emotions. Your feelings are valid and it’s important to express them daily. Try not to judge, deny, or reject your feelings, as this can lead to unhealthy coping.
• Avoid self-medicating with alcohol or drugs. If you find yourself turning to alcohol or drugs to cope, talk to a counselor or your medical provider for help. This is one example of unhealthy coping that has immediate and long-term negative health outcomes.
• Get regular medical and dental care. Regular medical screening reduces the risk for disease, disability, and death. Seeing your dentist is also important. Oral health can affect your overall health. Continue to take your prescribed medications. If you need assistance with your prescription costs, use the Visory Health Discount Prescription Savings Card for up to 80% savings on medications.

Providing care to a loved one is both challenging and rewarding. By incorporating these coping tips in your daily life, caregiving coping should improve over time.

At Visory Health, we see you and we hear you! We support our Caregiver Community and want to help you stay healthy for yourself and those you care for.

Stay Healthy, Stay Visory and use your Visory Health Prescription Savings Card to ensure you get the best prices on your medications!

To Your Health,

Dr. Creamer

DNP, MSN, MSS, MA

 

This article is not medical advice. It is intended for general informational or educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, diagnosis or treatment. If you think you have a medical emergency, immediately call your physician or dial 911.