Beyond Weight Loss Resolutions: Meaningful Goals for Family Caregiver Support

If you are among the eight percent of Americans who actually accomplish their New Year’s resolution goals, well done! However, if you’re like the majority of us, you have given up prior to even turning the calendar page to February. Although of course it’s admirable to attempt to better ourselves by resolving to get rid of 10 pounds or eat healthier foods, busy family caregivers need support, and there are several truly meaningful, achievable goals that can improve life throughout the year.

Consider these recommendations:

• Find joy. Taking care of somebody else is a labor of love, but may result in challenges which make it hard to focus on the daily benefits that can spark joy. Take some time each day to pause and discover a reason to smile. Bring a sense of humor to your daily caregiving tasks to share laughter with your family member. Enjoy the feeling of the sun’s rays shining through the window as you’re sorting laundry. Contact a relative who lifts your spirits for a quick chat.
• See the bigger picture. Make an effort to take one step back from the busyness of your to-do list, and view the effect your caregiving is making. Because of you, your parent can continue living in the comfort and familiarity of home. Thanks to you, life is the absolute best it can be for a senior loved one. Your contribution is priceless and it is making a difference.
• Compartmentalize. It is extremely important to make mental wellness a priority, and one effective way to cope with the many different responsibilities associated with providing care is to be entirely focused on the present. Visualizing different rooms for different concerns can be helpful; when you start to worry about a planned surgical procedure a senior loved one is facing while watching a film with your kids, visualize setting that concern in its appropriate room until later, and being focused on today.
• Be kind to yourself. It is very easy to slip into a pattern of wishing you could do more for a loved one, or worrying about errors you’ve made that you wish you might change. Point out to yourself you are human, and that you are doing essential work for the senior you love. Truly appreciate the sacrifices you are making, just as you would take note and appreciate them in another family caregiver.
• Seek – and accept – help and support. Attempting to be a superhero who deals with everything independently can easily result in burnout and depression. Partnering with others to help a senior loved one is the best way to make sure his / her needs are completely met, while helping you achieve the healthy life balance you need and deserve.

As the leading provider of home health care in Fort Lauderdale, FL and surrounding areas, Responsive Home Care, is the perfect partner for any family caregiver. We deliver highly skilled, professional, and compassionate care for seniors according to each person’s specific needs. Allow us to help! Call our care team at 954-486-6440 and together we can develop a plan of care in order to make 2020 the best year yet – both for the senior in your care, and for yourself. To learn more about all of the areas that we serve in Florida, please visit our Service Area page.