Caregiver Care

Caregivers are always managing numerous tasks with little time. Stress can take a major toll on our health. Below are resources to help. Feel free to bookmark this page and return as often as you need.

If you're looking for resources to support your care of an older loved one, sign up for our newsletter.

Recharge

Remember, you are a priority

It is difficult to care for others without caring for yourself. Trust me, I've done it and my health has suffered. There are a many ways to proactively start caring for yourself. Don't wait, get started. Below are three places to start.

Your Health

It can be so easy to forget your health appointments. Please don't. Preparing is self-care, and making certain you keep those appointments is preparing yourself to care for yourself. As we age, this becomes more important. Review these resources to guide your efforts.

Making Space

Some times we need to make space and take a breath. Mindfulness and exercising can help. The first step is finding the exercises or practices that support your needs. You can start with something as easy as changing the way you breathe. Get started here.

Asking For Help

Caregiving can feel like a solitary activity, but it doesn't have to be. As folks who aren't the first to ask for help, we've learned that friends and family want to provide support. They need you to share what you need. Below are some ways to think through this.

Expanding Your Care Team

You do not have to do it all yourself.

Caregiving often feels solitary. You might be the first in your family or friend group to hold caregiving responsibilities. However, asking for help helps you and your loved ones. We have a few tips to get things going and we offer more in our newsletter. (add newsletter link)

Tips

Create a list of friends and family who can lend a hand in supporting you and your loved one(s).
Identify the tasks that need to be complete such as attending or taking your loved one to doctor's visits, meal preparation, housecleaning, etc.
Match tasks to your list of friends and family.
If you have additional items and a small budget, see if you can outsource tasks such as cleaning.

Resources

Yale School of Medicine Self-Care Strategies

Helping Caregivers in the Workplace

Caring for Yourself

Taking care of yourself is part of your journey.

We believe preparation is self care. Developing a plan for your own care is critical to being prepared for what ever life hands you.

Use the resources and guidance below to help relieve stress and cultivate mindfulness.

Tips

Prioritize Self-care. Do this through exercise and by:

Staying informed with news for you
Tuning into a podcast that matters
Taking a music break
Learn all about meditation

Resources

Sign up and read Care Fully
Subscribe to our podcast for you
Enjoy this playlist
Start this meditation practice

Caring for Your Loved One

No caregiving journey is exactly the same. Our loved one's behaviors can shift over time.

Caregiving journeys have common themes. Our loved one's behaviors may shift over time. We encourage everyone to get their loved ones to the doctor if they see major changes. Here are a few things to watch for:

Tips

Behavioral -- Do they seem depressed or unhappy? Are they easily agitated? Do they lose track of time or get lost in familiar spaces? Is it hard for them to recognize family or friends? Are they more sleepy than usual? Have they been taking a new medication?
Communication - Is it difficult for your loved one to express themselves? Do you find they have more issues than usual with their memory? Are they suddenly confused or having difficulty understanding? Do they become frustrated when trying to communicate? Is there the ability to reason disappear? Are they having hallucinations ?
Diet - Are they feeling more fatigued? Has their appetite abruptly decreased or increased? Has their weight increased or decreased?
Physical - Is your loved one experiencing sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body? Do they have difficulty seeing, or is their vision blurry? Are they dizzy? Are there noticeable changes in their hearing? Do they have shortness of breath, decreased stamina, or leg swelling? Do they have difficulty walking? Have they fallen?