Great New Year's Resolutions for Caregivers to Consider

A new year is right around the corner, making it a perfect time to start thinking about New Year's resolutions. It doesn't matter what you do for a living, there is always something that you can change up a bit to make things better. For those of you who act as caregivers or are involved in elderly care, there are several resolutions you will benefit from. Let's dive in and take a close look at a few of them. 

Take Time for Yourself

As a caregiver, you are probably well aware that the needs of others come before yours. While this way of living is essential in being able to provide proper care to those you take care of, you must not forget to take a bit of time for yourself. Even if it's only 20 minutes a day or one day a week, time for yourself is crucial to your ability to stay sane. There are many ways in which you can take time for yourself, including reading a book, working on a hobby, meeting up with friends for coffee, etc. 

Take Good Care of Yourself

As equally as important as it is to take time for yourself, you also need to take good care of yourself. This includes eating well-balanced meals, limiting your alcohol intake, exercising on a regular basis and getting plenty of rest. For many caregivers, getting enough rest seems like a goal that can never be achieved. To overcome this issue, consider taking naps when the person you are caring for takes naps. Also, remember that everything doesn't have to get done today. You can put off a few tasks for tomorrow, allowing you to catch an extra hour or two of sleep at night. 

Be Willing to Accept Help

The person(s) you are caring for is not the only person in need of help. Although you may not need it in the same way as he or she does, this doesn't mean you're a super human being. You need to be willing to accept help. In addition to not only helping you, the assistance of other people will be good for the person you are caring for because it will lead to the always-beneficial human interaction. 

Have a Good Attitude

Without a good attitude, you will hate what you do. You need to put on a smile every morning when you wake up and be thankful for another day alive. If you come across moments of anger, frustration, etc., make sure you talk to a close friend about what it is that is on your mind. If you don't have any close friends or family members, consider visiting a therapist. 

Reward Yourself

That's right! Sometimes the only rewards you will get in life are those that come from yourself. After every one to two weeks of providing care, make sure you take a day off to reward yourself. If you happen to be a 24/7 caregiver, find something that you can do at the place in which you live to reward yourself. Cook a big dinner and have friends over. Rent five movies and spend the whole day on the couch watching them. There are plenty of ways you can reward yourself.

This is a guest post by Ryan Hughes from MHA.org.uk.