Happy Labor Day - for those of you who have a holiday from work, you may be slowly absorbing the fact that caregiving can indeed become a second (or third) job for you and your family. Unlike your traditional job, where a job description is readily available, there is unfortunately no clear road map for the job of Caregiver. Your new routine may involve having to adapt your regular work schedule to accommodate visits to your loved one, managing trips to medical and other professionals and essentially taking on the weight of an entire person’s life, while still managing your children, spouse, friends and career. Caring for an aging friend, parent, spouse or other family member can put unprecedented stress on your time, emotions and priorities. One of the most important things you can do when you first take on your new “job,” is to carve out time for self-care. It might not be your first thought or easy to find time for, but a healthier and stronger YOU enables you to become a more powerful caregiver. Check out these tips for easy ways to help you take care of yourself so you can become a stronger person, able to handle the new challenges - both known and unknown - that face you.

Filed under: Caregiving, Elder Issues, Eldercare, Long Term Care