Dreamstime
Stress can affect anyone and caregivers may find themselves faced with additional stressors. To help manage stress and avoid caregiver burnout, keep these tips from the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America in mind:
- Maintain a positive attitude
- Be flexible and accept the circumstances
- Be honest and open about your feelings
- Take it one day at a time
- Get a good night’s sleep
- Incorporate stress management techniques, such as meditation or deep breathing, as well as exercise into your daily routine
- Drink plenty of water and eat a healthful diet full of fruits and vegetables
- Set realistic goals and go slow
Getting Help With Caregiving
Everyone needs a break from time to time, even caregivers. Look into respite programs for a chance to care for yourself. Types of respite include:
Home Care
- Home care is often initiated by a doctor’s order or hospital stay and administered by medical professionals who come into the home and help with personal care and housekeeping functions.
- Medicare covers some home health services.
Adult Day Programs
- Social-model programs offer stimulation, socialization and therapeutic activities in a community-based group setting and often include meals.
- Medical-model programs (adult day health care programs), offer health-based services as well as social activities in a group setting.
- Some programs include assistance with activities of daily living and transportation.
- Adult day services charge per hour and may be covered under some long-term care insurance policies.
- Medicaid covers some adult day health programs.
Facility-Based Respite
- Provide a short stay for your loved one in a nursing home or another facility.
- Facilities typically charge for each day your loved one is in their care.
- Medicare or Medicaid may cover some costs of an inpatient facility.
Family and Friends
- Identify responsible family members and friends who can lend a hand in providing supervision for your loved one and create a rotating care schedule, if possible.
- Enlist the help of family members living in different states by assigning them tasks such as legal or financial paperwork.
(article courtesy of Family Features and Alzheimer’s Foundation of America)