If you are among the 8% of Americans who actually achieve their New Year resolution goals, congratulations! However, if you are like most of us, you have given up before even turning the calendar page to February. Although of course it is commendable to make an effort to better ourselves by resolving to get rid of 10 pounds or eat healthier, for busy family caregivers, there are lots of truly meaningful, achievable goals for family caregivers that will improve life throughout the year.

Consider these suggestions:

• Find joy. Caring for another person is a labor of love, but can also result in challenges that make it hard to concentrate on the daily benefits that can create joy. Take some time each day to pause to find a reason to smile. Bring humor into the daily caregiving tasks to share laughter along with your loved one. Enjoy the feeling of the sun shining through the window as you’re organizing laundry. Phone a relative who lifts your spirits for a brief chat.
• See the bigger picture. Strive to take one step back from the busyness of your to-do list, and look at the overall impact your caregiving is making. Because of you, a loved one is able to continue living in the comfort and familiarity of home. Because of you, life is the absolute best it can be for a senior loved one. Your contribution is priceless and is making a significant difference.
• Compartmentalize. It’s extremely important to make mental wellness a top priority, and one effective way to cope with the numerous different responsibilities that are included with providing care is to be completely focused on the present. Picturing different rooms for different concerns can be helpful; so in case you start to be concerned about a scheduled medical procedure a loved one is facing as you’re watching a film together with your kids, imagine placing that concern in its appropriate room until later, and concentrating on today.
• Be kind to yourself. It is not hard to get caught in a pattern of wishing you could do more for a parent, or thinking about errors you’ve made that you wish you could possibly change. Remind yourself that you’re human, and that you are doing valuable work for the individual you love. Recognize the value of the sacrifices you are making, just like you would notice and appreciate them in another family caregiver.
• Seek – and accept – help and support. Wanting to be a superhero who manages each and every thing independently can quickly contribute to burnout and depression. Working with other people to help your parent is the best strategy to ensure his / her needs are thoroughly met, while helping you achieve the healthy life balance you need and deserve.

Relevar Home Care, the leader in home health care in Bloomfield Hills MI & surrounding areas, is the perfect partner for family caregivers, delivering highly skilled, professional, and compassionate care for older adults based on each person’s individual needs. Allow us to help! Give us a call at 1-888-493-3513 and together we can identify a plan of care in order to make 2020 the best year yet – both for the senior in your care, as well as for yourself.