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By LeAnn Thieman
Are you one of the 65 million Americans who care for
a family member? One of the 20-50% of employees who tend
to a loved one before going to work, then return to care
again after a long hard day on the job? Feeling
torn between both “jobs” and trying to perform well at
each, causes so much stress that working caregivers are
often plagued with more mistakes, conflicts, and
stress-related illnesses. These simple tips will help
ease that stress:
Talk to Your Employer Honestly: Tell your supervisor
about your caregiving demands at home. Make an
appointment to discuss this at a time when you are
better rested and feeling your strongest so you can
state the situation in a professional,
emotionally-controlled manner. Don’t offer excuses, but
instead reasons for changes he or she may note in your
attendance, work schedule, or attitude. Explain why you
may need to decline additional hours, a promotion, or
transfer. Reassure him or her that you are committed to
the company and its peak performance and will remain
accountable to your duties.
Ask For What You Need: Once you’ve reinforced the above
commitment, your employers will be more receptive to
ideas to make the workplace and schedule more manageable
for you. Come prepared with suggestions that will
help-- for example, coming to work early, staying late,
working from home, or taking longer lunch hours to check
on your loved one, make personal phone calls, (or take a
nap!) Brainstorm with him or her about other workable
options. Often employers allow flexibility in the use of
comp time, sick days and vacations. In many
organizations fellow employees are allowed to donate
accrued time off to help a caregiver during a crisis
period.
Take Care of Yourself: Caregivers have higher than
normal incidents of illness--those taking care of
someone with a chronic illness have a 63% chance of
dying early; another 63% say depression is their most
common emotion. Caregivers often become so depleted they
cannot maintain the stamina to continue caring for
another. Therefore, you must take time daily to nurture
yourself physically, mentally and spiritually.
Physically: Eat well-balanced meals on a regular
schedule. Take a daily multivitamin. Exercise regularly,
even if it’s simply taking a walk. As difficult as it
may be, strive for a minimum of seven to eight hours of
sleep a night and nap when possible. Get regular medical
checkups and treatments of aches and pains before they
turn into something more serious.
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