Balancing Your Caregiving: Prioritizing Self-Care While Supporting Your Loved One Caregiving is an inherently demanding role because it involves caring for two individuals: not only the person you provide care for, but also yourself. This dual responsibility makes the role uniquely challenging, requiring you to balance the needs of your loved one with your own well-being. When you introduce family dynamics into this equation, the... Read more
What Does Wellness Look Like for Dementia Caregivers? Anyone providing care for a loved one with dementia knows how stressful it can be. Not only can the tasks involved be challenging and exhausting, but there is a very emotional level as well. But even with all the challenges , caregivers often neglect self-care, infrequently check in on their own health and either don’t know about or don’t use opportunities for respite. Read more
3 Common Causes of Caregiver Guilt, and How to Manage Them The concept of “caregiver guilt” is an odd one. Providing care for a loved one with a long-term health condition is a wonderful, selfless act, and caregivers undoubtedly devote considerable time and energy to provide the physical, mental and emotional support their loved one requires. And yet, the majority of caregivers report that they frequently experience feelings of guilt. Read more
How Caregiver Support Can Combat Rising Stress Levels We all know that caregiving for a loved one can be stressful, but it seems that caregivers may be feeling the strain more than ever before. Nearly two-thirds of family and friend caregivers consider their situation to be moderately-to-highly stressful, according to the recently released Caregiving in the U.S. 2020 report from National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. Read more
Time is Precious for Family and Friend Caregivers—How Care Coaching Can Help When you consider that 60 percent of family/friend caregivers are employed outside the home, the time drain on daily life can be extraordinary, leading to stress, strain in family relationships and unmet needs for both the caregiver and the older adult needing assistance. That’s why Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging developed BRI Care Consultation™. It’s an evidence-based care-coaching program specifically designed to work with both the family or friend caregiver and the person with a chronic condition to identify ways to better manage ongoing care. Read more
Holiday Blues and Older Adults The carols tell us that winter “Tis the season to be jolly,” but this can often be easier said than done. Many people get the holiday blues, and older adults are no exception, especially if they have recently received difficult news or are struggling with their health. The holiday season can often trigger memories of loved ones who have passed away as well. When a loved one is feeling blue, it is more important than ever for us to rally around them, help to contribute a positive atmosphere and find ways for them to create fresh and happy memories. Read more
Reducing the Stress of a Transition to Assisted Living The decision to move a loved one to assisted living can be one of the hardest a caregiver can make. However, if we are caring for a loved one with a chronic disease, particularly Alzheimer’s Disease or another form of dementia, it may become necessary to consider assisted living placement if we lack the time, resources or support to continue caring for a loved one at home. Shifting a loved one’s care to an assisted living facility may seem as if it will relieve many of the stresses of caregiving such as anxiety, depression or feeling overburdened. However, studies show that assisted living placement can instead change the type of stressors a caregiver experiences rather than eliminate them. Read more
Managing Caregiver Stress Though caregiving may bring us many positive opportunities to spend time with and provide support for a loved one, we may also regularly encounter stressful situations and struggle to find that elusive work-life balance. In fact, research shows that being a caregiver is “among the most stressful, emotionally burdensome and physically demanding roles a person can take on.” At times, the uplifting feelings of helping someone may ease the energy-draining emotions of caregiving. But caring for someone with a chronic illness can impact all aspects of life, from medical and physical health to financial and relational well-being. Read more
