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Taking Care of Yourself as the
Caregiver
There are
four rules to live by as the caregiver in order to
maintain your optimal level of care giving.
Choose
to take charge of your life. Don’t
let your loved one’s illness or disability
always take center stage. We fall into caregiving
often because of an unexpected event, but
somewhere along the line you need to step back
and consciously say, “I choose to take on
this caregiving role.” It goes a long way
toward eliminating the feeling of being a victim.
Honor,
value and love yourself. You’re
doing a very hard job and you deserve some
quality time, just for you. Self care isn’t
a luxury. It’s a necessity. It is your right
as a human being. Step back and recognize just
how extraordinary you are, and remember your own
good health is the very best present you can give
your loved one.
Seek,
accept, and at times demand help.
Don’t be ashamed to ask for help. When
people offer assistance, accept it and suggest
specific things that they can do. Caregiving,
especially at its most intense levels, is
definitely more than a one person job. Asking for
help is a sign of your strength and an
acknowledgement of your abilities and your
limitations.
Stand
up and be counted. Stand up for your
rights as a caregiver and citizen. Recognize that
caregiving comes on top of being a parent, a
child, a spouse. Honor your caregiving role and
speak up for your well-deserved recognition and
rights. Become your own advocate, both within
your own immediate care giving sphere and beyond.
Carol
Glasscock, MS, PT
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