Reduce Caregiving Stress
By Kerianne Lawson, Care Management Coordinator, BCHD
The holiday season can be anticipated with delight or with dread. It can be a stressful time for anyone, particularly for caregivers who already have the added tasks of providing care for a loved one.
For caregivers who may be wondering how to make it through the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, Community Care Services at Beach Cities Health District recommends following these helpful tips:
- Review your expectations ahead of time. Maybe you don’t need all the tinsel and lights you had last year. You may also be able to scale down the number of parties or just have one big bash. Ask yourself what you want out of your visit or visitors to make the season a success.
- It’s not the quantity of time; it’s the quality of time. Plan the visit according to your loved one’s energy level. For instance, if you are bringing Mom over for a family dinner, time it so that she spends two to three hours rather than four to six, and take her home before she gets too tired.
- Create a place of honor. Set Dad in a chair where he can watch the festivities unfold. Let the grandchildren bring him food and drink and have the party revolve around him.
- Take the party to your loved one. Visit Mom in her home and bring the meal, or stop by with dessert. Again, focus on a quality two-hour visit rather than an exhausting six-hour day.
- Plan for down time. Send the visitors out to sightsee or to play at the beach while your loved one takes a nap.
- If you are having a large party, make sure there is a quiet back room where your loved one can rest if he or she is feeling over-stimulated.
- Ask family to visit in small groups.
- Use your visitors for respite. They’ve come all this way to see Mom. Let them stay with Mom while you go out for lunch and a movie. If you are the visitor, offer to let the caregiver out of their duties for an afternoon.
- Join a support group. Give yourself the gift of support and talk with others who are having an experience similar to yours. BCHD provides caregiver support groups and links to other groups in the community. Call 310-374-3426, ext. 149 for more information.
- If your loved one lives in the beach cities and you discover that they are not doing as well as you thought they were, contact Community Care Services to consult with one of BCHD’s care managers by calling 310-374-3426, ext. 110 and asking for the Officer of the Day.
The holidays are a time to be with the ones we love. By being realistic in our expectations, and with a little planning, we can create meaningful family events without adding a lot of stress to daily life.
For more information on caregiving during the holidays please see the documents below:
http://www.alz.org/national/documents/topicsheet_holidays.pdf
