overcoming caregiver self-neglect

[DrBarryJJacobs]

Caregivers often feel guilty taking care of themselves as is all their energies should be devoted to the care receivers. Yet self-neglect often leads to caregiver burnout. What are your thoughts about how to encourage caregivers to mind their own health and well-being? Here's my AARP.org column on the subject:

https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/health/info-2018/caregiver-self-neglect-fd.html

[j648051l]

Very timely, and i enjoyed the link to the real life hacks at the bottom. It reminds me that when i'm feeling bogged down in a rut if i do one thing a little different in my day, in some creative way i get a little jolt of energy and feeling better.

I find when i care for myself less it means i'm needing to find something that tickles one of my interests.

When i think of caring for myself more in the same ways my mom is needing care, *the "have to's" it just further brings me down.

I'm wanting to sign us up at the Y so we both can get more range of motion, endurance and maybe even build up some strength. Indoor/outdoor pools, sauna and steam rooms, tai chi are all the speeds that would suit us. Thank goodness people are less judgemental now about body types. Or maybe we just care less as that's only one aspect of being.

Her surgeon highly recommends it and even offered to help with the cost if we can't swing the membership.

Made me cry, he was showing more care for us than we were showing for ourselves.

Neither my mom or me move quickly on or in actions, but we are moving forward in this way.

All this to say, if we can find fun (my mom and i) we can grow in all our levels of beings and then the maintainance might be less, or at least feel like less of a drag.

Thanks for this timely nudge,

Joni L.