Our 5 Tips for Managing Caregiver Well-being
Join our experienced Care Pros as they help you unwind and manage your caregiver's well-being in a way that supports you and your loved one.
Remember You Are A Daughter, Son, Wife or Husband First
When we start caring for loved ones, we quickly assume the role of carer. Quite often, this takes over because it comes with such a steep learning curve. It is demanding, stressful, and exhausting. Staying healthy is the key to better health and well-being.
We asked our Home Instead team for advice in this situation.
“I tell them to always remember they are Daughters, Sons, Husbands, and Wives first. They must not forget this. Caregivers can get so lost in the role of being a carer that they forget how to just be what they were born to be.
It is important to find moments when they can just be their Mother’s Daughter. When these moments are forgotten, hope is easily lost. My role (as a Home Instead caregiver) is to give them back these relationships.
I often wanted moments to be a Daughter when my Mum took her journey into end-of-life. I was driven to care for her for many good reasons, but I lost who I was at times.”
– Natalie Hooper, Home Instead Care Pro.
See Home Care as a Tool to Help You Spend More Time Together
The important thing in any caregiving situation is to take advantage of the help on offer. Home Care is an effective way to help your loved one stay at home for longer and maintain their independence, but at a managed level of care that is good for them and helpful to you.
“I used to tell families that being an ‘outside’ carer is much easier than being related to the client. We don’t know or remember the person they used to be, so seeing their decline – while sad – is easier for us to bear. I told my clients’ families that we understand how hard it is for them and that we’re there to try to take the pressure off so they can just be a family again.”
– Mo Cesano, Home Instead Care Pro Trainer.
Build Trust With Your Care Team
Building relationships with your care team is essential when you choose to take on care services. By all means, set boundaries and let them know your preferences, but work with them, not against them. You will find that shared trust and mutual respect deliver the best services for your loved one.
They can also provide critical companionship. Those independent relationships keep your loved one from feeling a burden, which can do wonderful things for their self-esteem and health.
“When I was caring for my Mum, it was really scary letting someone else look after her and trusting that they would do the best for her. The Rowan nurse who visited her became her friend, and the trust between them was amazing. It gave me a chance to do other things for her. The nurse was also someone we could talk to, so I would tell fellow caregivers that trust is so important. We (your care team) are there to help and, more importantly, to assist you.”
– Ness, Home Instead Care Pro.
Reach Out And Ask for Help
It’s always challenging to ask for help, but if you want to manage your caregiver’s well-being, you must get used to it. It’s not a sign of failure – quite the opposite. This approach will result in the best care for Mum or Dad.
Help can take many forms, such as Home Care, Live-in Care, Respite Care, or just a good chat over a coffee. It can help you manage your stress, concerns, and care needs.
“I always tell the family to see us (their caregiver services) as their extended family. We are there to help them and to talk.”
– Pam Millis, Home Instead Care Pro.
There are other resources you can use to help you on your care journey – Here’s our guide to caregiver support in Watford.
Caregiver Well-being: Find Some "You" Time
We appreciate it’s challenging to find any time for yourself, but your well-being will thank you for it.
Try a coffee with a friend, relax for an evening, or focus on a favourite hobby. Whatever it is, carve out some time to appreciate that moment undisturbed.
Your mind needs to switch off and process, your body needs to stop, and you need to recentre and be calm.
When you return to care, you’ll be rejuvenated, happier, and more likely to think clearly and act proactively instead of fighting fires on adrenaline.
