5 Ways to Deal with a Bad Day

Elderly Care in Culpeper County VA

If you’re a family caregiver, you’ve probably had a bad day or two and they’re probably a result of being under too much stress. How you deal with a bad day can make the difference between Elderly-Care-in-Culpeper-County-VAhaving those kinds of days only occasionally and having them more often.

Practice Saying “No”

One of the problems that can cause you to have more bad days than you want is that you’re overscheduled. That often happens to family caregivers because they want to help everyone in their lives. The best way to combat this is to practice saying “no” in a polite yet firm manner. You don’t have to do everything for everyone because, let’s face it, you just can’t.

Lighten Up on Your Expectations

Another common reason that caregivers might have a bad day or two involves burdening yourself with expectations that are too high. Perfection isn’t attainable, unfortunately, so it’s best to lighten up on yourself. Adopt expectations that are closer to attainable so that you have reasonable goals that you can still achieve.

Do Something Creative

When you’re swamped and don’t have a lot of energy, creative pursuits often fall by the wayside. It seems backwards, but try doing something creative when you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed. You may be surprised at how much relaxation you can get just from creating something that you can enjoy later.

Get Through the Next Few Minutes

Sometimes a situation seems impossible. You are convinced you’ll never make it to the other side. But if you can get yourself through the next few minutes, that’s progress. String together a few of those few minutes at a time, and you’re on the other side of whatever impossible situation you were struggling with.

Ask for Assistance

It’s never a bad idea to get help from the other people in your life. Sometimes they may not even realize that you need help until you verbalize that need. They may not be able to give you the exact help that you need themselves, because we all have the ability and need to say “no” sometimes, but there are other resources. Look for help from other family members, elderly care providers, and any other agency in your area that can help.

Everyone has a bad day now and again, but you can try to make sure that you don’t have too many in a row.

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring elderly care in Culpeper County, VA, please contact the caring staff at LivinRite Home Care. Call Us Today at (703) 369-6677. Serving Northern Virginia, The Valley, and Surrounding Communities

 

Julie McCormick, Co-Owner