Caregivers are often under a lot of physical and emotional stress when looking after someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia. If you don’t take care of yourself first, you can’t help others in the most effective ways possible. Read on for some pointers from The Ordinary Snob.

How Caregiving Can Affect You

Those aged 66 and over who are caregivers for a spouse with Alzheimer’s disease are at a 63% higher risk of dying than others of the same age who aren’t caregivers, according to the Family Caregiver Alliance. Younger caregivers looking after their elderly parents are at an increased risk for depression and chronic illness. 

Mayo Clinic notes that roughly one-third of adults in the U.S. care for a family member who’s in need of support. Untrained family caregivers are performing rewarding acts of devotion, but they also often suffer from a large amount of stress from being constantly worried, overwhelmed, tired, sad, and irritated. 

Some caregiver risk factors for stress occur when you:

• Live with the person you’re caring for

• Are socially isolated 

• Feel depressed

• Are having financial difficulties

• Spend many hours at caregiving

• Feel you have no choice but to be that person’s caregiver

Strategies to Reduce Caregiver Stress

It’s important to practice self-care if you want to remain a healthy caregiver. If you put your own needs on the back burner, who’s going to take care of you or your loved one if you become sick? Here are some self-care tips to help you deal with the stress and remain physically and emotionally healthy.

• Accept help. If another family member or friend offers to help, be ready with a list of ways they can do so. Perhaps you’ll appreciate someone going grocery shopping or sitting with your loved one so you can have a break.

• Know you’re not perfect. Not every caregiver is great at everything. You may be better at cooking meals than balancing a checkbook. Just do the best you can and try not to feel guilty about what you can’t provide.

• Keep up your social network. It’s important to make time to connect with others, even if it’s just for a walk with a friend.

• Take up a new hobby. Learning a new craft will help you relax and destress. 

• Stay on top of your health. Make regular appointments with your health care professional for checkups, vaccinations, and other screenings.

• Stay fit. If you have yet to get into a fitness routine, now’s the time to start exercising. You don’t need to go all-out at the gym; instead, start out slow with low-impact exercises and work your way up.

• Get enough sleep. When you establish a good sleep routine, you’ll feel more physically able to help someone else.

•  Don’t neglect yourself. Wear clothing that makes you feel good and keep up your skin-and hair-care regimens.

Some household chores need to be outsourced so you can make your self-care needs a priority. Perhaps you can continue to perform lighter house cleaning tasks, but with bigger chores, like cleaning windows, it’s less time-consuming to hire a professional.

Window-cleaning services will get this task done using the right equipment in a safe manner. The cost of window cleaners averages $260. That price will vary depending upon how many windows you have, their type and size, ease of access, and how dirty they are. So, do a search for “washers near me” and read up on reviews for local professionals to ensure the person you hire is capable of doing the job correctly.

Practice Self-Care 

As a caregiver, you need to stay in good health. In addition to the tips above, indulge in some luxurious skin-care products for a self-care treat that’s good for you, inside and out. If you want to see honest, authentic, and un-fluffed reviews on beauty products, skincare, and random items, The Ordinary Snob is the place to go. Contact Susan for more info!