4 New Year’s Goals for Caregiver Well-being
It is 2025, a new year and a chance for a fresh start!
Now is the ideal time to look back to your years and realise that you, a caregiver, should prioritize self-care.
Research indicates that chronic stress can lead to long-term health problems and increased risk of premature death. It can also negatively affect mood, relationships, and overall well-being.
It is therefore crucial that you give yourself a break you deserve.
In this article, we suggest four self-care goals for caregivers that will help safeguard your long-term health. These goals provide creative solutions that remind you to relax and recharge.
Goal #1: Actively seek help
- Build your support network of friends, family and community
- Ask family or friends to help with tasks such as hands-on care, companionship, managing finances, running errands, cleaning, etc.
- Seek help from professionals like doctors and home carers to help solve tough care challenges
Goal #2: Spare time for yourself every day
- Schedule achievable break daily, such as a 2-minute meditation or a walk around the block every morning
- Do regular exercises to improve your fitness and reduce stress
- Escape from reality with entertainments like TV shows and audiobook
- Stay connected with your friends via phone calls, coffee and a meal
- Commit to looking after yourself and doing the above activities daily
Goal #3: Schedule regular breaks
- Get someone to sit with your older adult while you spend time on your own
- Hire an in-home caregiver for a few hours every week
- Enroll your senior in an adult day program
- Use local respite care programs
Goal #4: Accept just as is
When pouring in heart and soul into caregiving, it is easy to hope for a change and wish that things will get better.
However, the higher the expectation, the greater the disappointment will be if nothing changes.
It can be tough to admit that certain things won’t change. But accepting the current reality and maintaining your calm helps you to stay in the moment and appreciate the good things in life. Eventually, this will enable you to direct your emotional energy toward positive outcomes, instead of being trapped in wishful thinking.
Are you looking for professional help and support in 2025? Contact Living Waters Aged Care – we provide compassionate care for our elders to enable independence and healthy lifestyle. Reach out to us today.
