You’ve been doing pretty well on your own for a while. You haven’t needed any help. Looking after an aging parent or other loved one has been — in your estimation – your responsibility. You never wanted to shirk that or hand it off to anyone else.
Caregiver Buffalo NY – Problems of Thinking You’re Just Fine While Caring for a Loved One
Over time, you may be feeling the acute effect of stress, pressure, and anxiety in your life that is the direct result of being a primary caregiver. Many people fool themselves into thinking they’re just fine when they’re not.
When you keep ignoring the potential problems, especially the physical toll it’s taking as well as the emotional strain and stress, you could be setting yourself up for a major problem. It’s not just you who may be affected by it, but that senior depending on you.
Don’t allow yourself to be fooled.
You need to acknowledge stress in your life. You might feel this is your responsibility, something you were tasked to do and plan to see it to completion, but it’s not your responsibility alone.
You might be looking after your spouse, elderly parent, or even another family member who is disabled after an accident. Just because of your personal relationship with this individual, that doesn’t mean looking after them has to be your primary and sole responsibility.
You will be stressed. When you’re stressed, it will affect your mental health and ultimately your physical health.
Evaluate how frustration affects you.
You will be frustrated. So will the person depending on you. How does that translate into other aspects and areas of your life? Do you start snapping at people on line at the grocery store? Do you take your frustrations out on your spouse, best friends, or other family?
Do you miss deadlines at work, blame coworkers for your problems, or take on bad habits that cost you money and other aspects that are not as easily calculated?
This isn’t meant to judge, but rather get you assessing the situation honestly.
Evaluate how stress affects this senior.
You may be focused on how stress is affecting you, but it’s also affecting the other person depending on you. The more honest you are, the more likely you will see the value in external support.
Hiring an experienced caregiver from a home care agency to help is one of the best options for those who are pushing through stress and anxiety and pressure, even as they try to ignore its impact on their life.
