Sometimes you’re worried about disappointing so many people as a caregiver, but you’re the one that is the hardest on yourself. If you’ve experienced some of these thoughts, you might want to try working through some solutions that can help you to get rid of them.
Home Care in Upper Darby PA: Caregiver Tips
“I Should Do More” or “I Don’t Do Enough”
It’s really common for caregivers to believe that they’re not doing enough at all, no matter how much they’re already doing. Part of this skewed thought can come from the fact that you’ve usually got so many items on your to-do list that you’re not able to complete. You can get it in your mind that you’ve got to finish all of those tasks before you can say you’ve done enough. But when you’re a caregiver, you are doing an awful lot already.
“I Shouldn’t Feel that Way”
Caregiving is an emotional situation. You’re likely to feel emotions you don’t expect and that you normally don’t associate with your aging family member, like anger and frustration. But when you tell yourself that you shouldn’t feel a certain way, you’re devaluing your feelings. It’s much more realistic to acknowledge what you’re feeling and let it pass.
“I’m a Terrible Caregiver”
You might have this vision in your head of what an ideal caregiver should do, should experience, and lots of other “shoulds”. But there’s no such thing as a perfect caregiver. The other important factor for you to remember is that you’re doing the very best that you can with the situation and with the resources that you have available. You’re doing just great as a caregiver.
“I’m Just Being Selfish”
It’s difficult to devote time and energy to yourself when you know that your elderly family member needs both your time and your energy, too. But if you’re not taking care of yourself, you’re not going to be able to take care of anyone else in your life, especially your senior family member. There are times that you have to be first on your own list and that’s not selfish at all.
You may not be able to stop yourself from having these thoughts from time to time, but it’s important that you recognize that they’re not true. It’s equally important that you know how to talk yourself through them. That skill can help you to keep yourself on track while you’re doing the tough work of being a caregiver.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care in Upper Darby, PA, please talk to the caring staff at Better Care Home Health Services LLC today. Serving individuals and their families in Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery and Bucks counties. Call Today: (267) 766-5218
Better Care Home Health Services is a family-owned agency dedicated to providing excellent and comprehensive home health care to individuals and families of Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery and Bucks counties. We are honored that God has blessed us with the opportunity to positively impact and change people’s lives. It is our mission to ensure that we provide the very best of care to our clients.
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