Take Care of Yourself!
Dear Caregivers,
Today is International Self-Care Day! Sure, it sometimes seems as if every day of the year is some sort of “International Awareness of Something” day, but anyone who knows me knows that for me, this one is really important.
As the Global Selfcare Federation puts it, “this International Self-Care Day celebrates the value and potential of self-care” as a “fundamental act of self-love and self-preservation.” It’s the phrase “self-preservation” that is key: Caring for yourself is often regarded as an indulgence, a “guilty pleasure” that you do as a luxury, not as a necessity.
However, study after study shows that caregivers who don’t take time to “self-preserve” suffer greater incidences of heart disease, cancer, and mental issues such as anxiety and depression.
Next time you think that taking time for yourself means that you will be diminishing the help you give to your loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s, remember that if you get sick, you will not be able to help your loved one at all. As I always say, make sure you "take your oxygen first"!
Here’s some advice on how to take care of yourself:
Some Self-Care Actions YOU CAN DO Right Now!
An essential part of being a caregiver is caring for yourself. You have to make time to tend to yourself, no matter how much or little time you may have. Here are some ideas.
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 Guilt:
Feelings of guilt are normal for caregivers, yet they are difficult to process. Recognizing and understanding the source of the guilt is the first step towards finding a way to cope with these feelings. Here are some of the more common reasons caregivers give for feeling guilty, and strategies for coping.
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
“Self-care is never a selfish act — it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others.”
— Parker Palmer
