By
Kathleen Bogolea, MS
Ask For Assistance
Make a point of picking up the telephone and spending time
calling resources such as your local Area Agency on Aging, a
hospital social worker, a physician or church. The Internet can
also be a wonder resource finding tool. Never be afraid to
ask for assistance when you need to, you may be surprised at who
has been waiting to help you.
Take Time To Care For Yourself
Too often I meet caregivers who are run down and even sick
because they have not taken time to care for themselves.
Sure, no one can take care of your loved ones as well as you do
but you must care for yourself if you want to continue to care
for your loved one. This is not an act of selfishness, it
is actually an act of great giving.
- Take time every day to “check-in” with yourself, even if
it is only 10 minutes. This should be your protected
time. Enjoy this time by reading, listening to music,
exercising or whatever you like to do.
- Remember to laugh at the funny things in life.
- Take time to be “in” your marriage.
- Listen to your body. If your body is telling you to slow
down, or that something is not right, seek medical advice.
Too often we do not listen to our bodies no matter how
loudly they may be talking to us.
Every caregiver and caregiving situation is unique but there
are always common factors which bridge these situations and
caregivers together. It is easy to become lost in the
caregiving that you are providing but remember that support can
come from many different sources and in many different ways.
For those of you who are squeezed in the sandwich generation
please know that you are not alone and that assistance is often
only a telephone call or internet site away. Your local Family
Caregiver Support Program is here to help you.
