Did you know that while family caregivers often hold themselves responsible for the health of their aging relatives, they are often not very good at keeping themselves healthy? According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, around 11 percent of caregivers report that their health has gotten worse since they took on the role of caregiver.
They tend to be at greater risk for serious health conditions, like heart disease and depression. Part of the reason that caregivers are often unhealthy is that they are too busy providing care to take care of themselves. They skip doing the regular things that are needed to maintain good health, like the 4 healthy habits below.
#1: Eating Balanced Meals
The day is racing by. You’ve gotten the kids off to school, stopped at your aging parents to help them get out of bed and have breakfast, then raced off to work. After work, you pick up the kids, stop again at your parent’s house to check on them, then go home to make phone calls to arrange medical appointments and refill prescriptions. You barely had time to breathe let alone eat a meal. Instead, you find yourself skipping breakfast because you’re too busy packing lunch for the kids, grabbing a cheeseburger on your lunch break, and eating a bite of this or that while you’re watching over the kids doing homework and taking care of other household matters. See the problem here? If you find yourself eating like this daily instead of ensuring you get all the nutrients you need and avoid eating fatty, salty, sugary foods, your health is bound to suffer.
#2: Exercising Regularly
Exercise? After the day that you’ve had, who’s got time or energy for that? Many caregivers feel that way. Unfortunately, when you don’t exercise regularly you may notice your weight creeping up. You may also lose muscle tone and negatively impact your heart health.
#3: Getting Enough Sleep
Many caregivers fall into bed at night feeling exhausted but that doesn’t mean they can sleep. In fact, they may not even get to bed until very late at night because they have so much to get done. Then, when they get in bed, they lie there worrying about the health of their aging relative and all the things they have to get done the next day.
#4: Going to the Doctor
You see a lot of doctors but they’re seldom your own. Instead, caregivers spend a lot of time in the doctor’s office with their aging relatives. Between that and all the other responsibilities they handle, it’s hard to find the time to make an appointment for yourself. However, when you skip your own regular medical appointments, you’re missing out on important screenings and monitoring your own health.
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring a Caregiver in La Jolla, CA, or the surrounding area, please contact the caring staff at Love 2 Live Care. Call Today 1-619-291-4663
Sources
https://www.caregiver.org/