The Importance of Taking a Step Back from Your Elder Care Duties and Giving Yourself a Break
Elder Care in Prince William County
How would you react if your management team at your career asked you to work 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, without breaks or vacations, and that you had to always been on call even if you 
were at home, expected to stop whatever you are doing in order to fulfill a need that arises? The answer is probably “not well”. This is because no matter what your career is or how devoted you are to it, you know that your life and your wellbeing are important as well, and you do not think that you should be expected to give all of that up in order to fulfill a career. Your elder care efforts for your parent should be no different.
The reality is that even though most family caregivers for elderly adults maintain a career for at least part of their care journey with their parent and continue to expect time away from that career, their consideration for themselves and their own needs do not extend to their care efforts. Even though you would never think that you should be working at all times and never take a break from it, you might not realize that the same goes for your care for your parent. You want your senior to get the devoted, caring, and compassionate level of support and assistance that she needs and deserves, but that does not mean that you should spend every moment of your life involved in that care. Taking time occasionally to take a step back from your elder care duties and give yourself a break is not only vital to your own personal health and wellbeing, but also to the quality of the care that you give your loved one, and your ability to continue fulfilling the needs of your other roles in life, including to your partner, your children, and your career.
Some of the benefits of taking breaks during your care journey include:
- Reduced stress. Stress is one of the most common effects of caring for older adults, and it only increases the more time you spend on your care tasks. Occasionally being willing to take a break and focus on something outside of those care efforts helps you to relieve this stress and protect yourself from the mental, emotional, cognitive, and physical effects that stress can have on you.
- Improved care. The longer you are in a care relationship, the easier it is to lose sight of what your parent needs and how you can best fulfill those needs. You might start “cutting corners” or losing perspective on your parent-child relationship with your senior. Taking time away from the care routine gives you a chance to refresh your mind and refocus on the important aspects of your care relationship so that you can keep your care at its best. This also extends to the break itself. Having an elderly health care services provider or respite care provider come in occasionally gives your parent some additional social interaction, which can be a fantastic boost to her mental, emotional, and cognitive health and wellbeing.
- Stronger structure. No matter what the challenges and limitations you parent is facing, being a family caregiver is stressful and having a network of support, love, and encouragement is invaluable to making you feel strong and capable of handling the challenges that come your way throughout this journey. By making sure that you take the time to focus on other elements of your life, including your marriage and your friendships, you ensure that your support structure is at its strongest and most effective for you.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring a professional elder care in Prince William 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
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