Take time to care for yourself. No one will benefit if you are worn out and exhausted. Find a few moments of every day to give yourself time, like waking up a few minutes early and making a cup of coffee or tea before your day begins, or organizing your thoughts while taking a shower.
See your physician regularly
Work with your physician to address issues that might include exhaustion, stress, sleeplessness, and changes in your appetite or behavior. Ignoring these symptoms can cause your physical and mental health to decline.Make your physician aware of your caregiving role, and ask him or her to help you be on the lookout for stress and depression.
Get plenty of rest, exercise and eat well-balanced meals. Accept assistance from others.
Recognize that you can't do everything. Attempting to handle everything yourself will only lead to burnout, depression, and resentment toward the person you care for. You are not failing as a caregiver by asking others for assistance. When friends and family offer help, accept it.
Click here to get information on resources from the New York City Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association and community resources.
Talk to others about your feelings.
You may think that no one understands what you are going through. Holding in your feelings, however, will only make you feel isolated and emotionally neglected. Sharing your experiences with others may help you put things into perspective.
Click here for information on support groups.
Sources for this section: Adapted from "Caregiver Stress: I Don't Have Time to Take Care of Myself", "Caregiver Tips – Dealing with Denial" (adapted from the newsletter of the Cleveland Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association), "Especially for the Alzheimer's Caregiver", Orange County Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association; "Helping Children and Teens Understand Alzheimer's Disease", Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association, Inc.
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