Self-Care Tips for Caregivers

 

Being a caregiver can be a stressful endeavour. Between scheduling appointments and looking after your loved one, you might not even have a moment to yourself. As important as it is to take care of your loved one, it’s also important to take care of you. To help, we’ve compiled a list with some self-care tips, so you can stay well during this time.

 

Stay Positive

Staying positive for yourself and your loved one is one of the most important things you can do as a caregiver. Try and find small pleasures in every day, even when things get hard. You can also look for creative ways to support your loved one. For instance, why not support them by getting matching Giftgowns with a picture of a favourite memory, so you can remember some good times!

 

Take a Day Off

Everyone needs a day off sometimes, even a caregiver. If you are able to find alternate arrangements for someone to look after your family member, taking a day to just relax and treat yourself can help you feel a lot better. Take the day to do your favourite activities or to catch up with friends!

 

Eat Healthy Meals

Eating healthy is surprisingly difficult when you’re around the hospital. It’s likely that most of the options in the hospital food court will be fast food. So we recommend bringing snacks and simple homemade meals with you to the hospital, so you can get all your nutrition in while taking care of your loved one.

 

Stay Active

Your usual fitness routine may not fit in well if you’re spending your time in the hospital. Trying to fit in small activities throughout the day will help you stay energized and positive. Try going to a quick walk or seeing if there’s a fitness centre near by that offers day passes!

 

Meditate

Meditating is a great way to distress and take care of your body and mind. It’s a simple tool that you can do anywhere. If there’s a time when your loved one is sleeping for example, you can do some simple breathing exercises. Pro tip: there are lots of meditation aps and guided mediations on Youtube that you can try out too!

 

We hope this helps make your experience of being a caregiver a little easier! 💖