Being a caregiver for elderly parents and children can be stressful.
If your days are full of managing a home, working, parenting, taking care of aging parents, and attempting to squeeze in time for yourself while nurturing other relationships, welcome to the sandwich generation! Comprised of those ages 35 – 54 who are “sandwiched” between caregiving for elderly parents and meeting the needs of children at home, it will not come as a shock to you that this demographic of individuals is facing higher quantities of stress than nearly any other, with approximately 40 percent reporting extreme amounts of stress.
Katherine Nordal, PhD, executive director for professional practice, American Psychological Association, states, “It’s not surprising that so many people in that age group are experiencing stress. The worry of your parents’ health, and your children’s well-being as well as the financial concern of putting kids through college and saving for your own retirement is a lot to handle.”
It is imperative to make a plan to reduce stress levels, as long-term stress may bring about cardiovascular disease, hypertension, depression, and diabetes, along with other serious health problems. Not only that, but that stress can carry over and impact the loved ones you are working so hard to care for.
Home With You Senior Care, a trusted provider of live in care in Hampstead and the surrounding areas, recommends the following strategies to decrease stress and discover a healthier life balance when caregiving for elderly parents and children:
- Know your triggers. What is it that tips the scale for you from busy to overburdened? Do your feelings of stress originate from relationships with your children or parents, financial concerns, issues at your workplace, feeling out of control?
- Note how you react to those triggers. Once you’ve identified the cause(s) behind your elevated stress, take an honest assessment of how you respond. Do you lose patience with your family members? Struggle with falling/staying asleep, or following a balanced and healthy diet? Use unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as drinking or smoking?
- Make self-care a top priority. You give so much of yourself to care for your loved ones; make taking care of yourself equally important. You can only provide the best care when your own needs are met. Schedule allocated time to relax, take part in pleasant hobbies and activities, spend time with friends, exercise, etc. Your time away ought to be a top priority, and happen on a routine basis – if at all possible, every single day.
If you are wondering how you can possibly carve out time for yourself with all of the other responsibilities you’re balancing, we are able to help! Home With You Senior Care is always here to provide trusted, highly skilled in-home respite care services – as much or as little as needed – to allow family caregivers peace of mind in knowing their older family members will be well cared for while they take necessary time to step away.
Our highly trained and experienced senior caregivers are ready and waiting to help you lower your stress and discover an improved quality of life, both for yourself and those you care about. Give us a call at 410-756-0959 to get started with our top-rated live in care in Hampstead and the surrounding areas.