Balancing Act!
Dear Caregivers,
This week marks the first day of spring, the “Vernal Equinox,” when the length of night and day are roughly equal. For millennia, the spring equinox has been celebrated around the world as a transition time between cold and warm, light and dark, and senescence and rebirth.
Perhaps because the day sits between all these balancing forces, there is a persistent folk tale suggesting that on the equinox, you can balance an egg in an upright position on a tabletop.
I’m happy to report that this, in fact, is one folk tale that is actually true! Well, almost true: That’s because you can in fact balance an egg on a tabletop ANY day of the year. You just have to find an egg with a yolk that is centered within the shell.
As a caregiver of someone suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, centering yourself and finding balance in your life is of utmost importance. That means taking care of your mental and physical health, staying connected with your community, getting help when you need it, and most importantly, setting realistic goals for what you can achieve.
Remember, like putting an egg upright on a tabletop, finding balance is possible and requires no special magic. But you do have to strive for it every day!
Here’s some more insight into keeping your balance:
Building your Caregiving Mental Health Toolkit:
As a caregiver, you need a host of tools to help you cope and maintain your mental health. Here’s your toolkit.
Caregiver Burnout: How to Cope:
Caregiving for someone suffering from Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most challenging jobs in the world, and it comes with a risk of what is known as “Caregiver Burnout.” With caregiver burnout, you are in a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that may also be coupled with a change in your attitude towards your caregiving role, from one of positive, caring, and rewarding to one of feeling negative, unconcerned, and resentful. Here's how to manage.
Six Smart Meals:
We are all used to eating 3 meals a day, but did you know it may be better to eat more often? Eating six small meals a day refuels the body with smaller amounts of energy throughout the day, thereby reducing the number of ups and downs in your energy level. Here's how to do it.
Remember, if you can’t find the information you need on our website, you can always “Ask NAN” by clicking on this link.
Best,
Rosemary D Laird, MD, MHSA
Founder and Chief Medical Officer
“Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create.”
— Jana Kingsford
