Do you, or someone you know, suffer from pain as a result of caring for someone else? Far too often, the main focus is on the primary patient so much, that the caregiver develops aches, pains, and strains that go unnoticed. It takes a lot of attention and hard physical work to look after someone who can’t walk, bath themselves, or dress themselves. The person giving the care often becomes a patient themselves, but many still focus on the primary patient. Caregivers have to be realistic. Sure, the odd sore muscle now and again is nothing to worry about, but when you begin to lose sleep or find you can’t relax without pain, you need to turn your attention to yourself and seek out a solution before it gets too late. Besides treatment and rest for yourself, you also need to secure more help from someone else to continue looking after the patient you are responsible for. Perhaps you need to have an updated assessment of your patient to see if they qualify for more care from the community caregivers or at the very least ask for more help from family, friends and loved ones. Even if you could just have a half day per week to get out of the house and do your own thing like clothes shopping, yoga, massage, see a show, or walk in the park. Look ahead to your patient’s prognosis and realize how soon they will need more care or an easier living environment. Perhaps you need to move your patient to a facility or at least an apartment with no stairs. Do it sooner rather than later.
Consider seeing someone for yourself, like your medical doctor, Chiropractor, or massage therapist. Take some ‘me’ time as often as you can, even 30 minutes a day can help give you a break. Also don’t allow others or yourself to make you feel guilty. Make sure you are staying in good shape if you expect to continue looking after your patient. If you don’t look after yourself, you won’t be able to help anyone else.
Finally, try to build some fun or entertainment into your day for you and the patient. It may be a family visit, reading aloud, a fun movie, or listening to music.
For further information check this link from Harvard Health – https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/caregiver-nation-new-tools-to-manage-a-family-members-health-as-well-as-your-own?utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=GB20190814-Caregivers&utm_id=1491319&dlv-ga-memberid=45110765&dlv-emuid=9c4cc8d7-eed1-45ec-9b65-169606aa21f5&dlv-mlid=1491319