Ideas to Deal with Caregiver Stress

As our previous post indicated, dealing with the stresses of being a caregiver affect you on every level – physically, emotionally and mentally. There are some things that can help caregivers manage the stressors involved with caregiving and even, in some cases, offset some of the physical and emotional impacts. Through some research and discussions with LTS clinicians, there seem to be three things that are most important.

1. Take care of yourself – Be sure to tend to your physical needs! That includes exercising, eating healthy meals, and even taking vitamin supplements. Pay attention to any symptoms or warning signs that may indicate a greater health problem to come.

2. Be social – The responsibilities of being a caregiver can make it difficult to keep up with friends. However, it is necessary to maintain a solid network of friends who are there to support you and listen to you. Having someone to talk to about the stress you are going through will open you up to new insights, some comfort, and maybe a good laugh. Laughing with friends is a great way to relieve stress, and temporarily take a break from the caregiving world.

3. Take some time to yourself – It is difficult, but making time for yourself is important. Whether it is to journal, meditate, catch up on your DVR, or just sit quietly and take a moment to focus on yourself. It’s easy to forget your needs when you are caregiving, but taking time to yourself will help you focus and figure out what you need.
Hope these help!

The Stresses of Caregiving

With the first week of 2012 over, there has been a lot of information about new ways to lose weight, what to eat, and how you should exercise. When you are a primary caregiver, these things aren’t always able to be top priority. Sometimes it can be difficult to maintain your own health on top of the numerous other responsibilities that come with being a caregiver. A report released by the National Alliance for Caregiving sheds light on just how precarious the health of a caregiver may be.

The report focused on an 18-month study on Alzheimer’s caregivers, and it showed a definitive decline in the health of the caregivers in conjunction with the decreased cognitive levels of the person they were caring for. This increased use of healthcare calculated to $4, 766. The entire report can be found here.

This report shows the high level of stress involved with caregiving, and how important it is to find an appropriate outlet for this stress. Whether it be exercising, journaling, or something as simple as talking with a friend it’s important to have some way to offset the physical impacts of caregiving

Movember!

Seen a few extra males walking around lately sporting mustaches?  I have, and it's not because Burt Reynolds is making a comeback.  It's because it's Movember!  During Movember, or November, men grow mustaches to raise money and awareness for men's health, particularly prostate and other types of cancer.  The movement began in 2003 and since has raised over $174 million.  If you see someone walking around with what appears to be a two week mustache, ask him if he is growing it for charity and consider giving a few dollars to a great cause.  Want to find out more information?  Visit http://us.movember.com/about. 

Lower-Back Pain Relief

A new study conducted by the National Institute of Health found that stretching and yoga can significantly reduce lower-back pain.  While yoga and stretching classes are often conducted in health clubs and studios, you can take advantage of the two at home.  There are many different videos on YouTube that give great instruction, and you can also find many instructional videos on some cable television channels.  Personally, sometimes when the weather is crumby I go to my On Demand cable feature and do a 50 minute yoga class.  It's a great workout and I don't even need to leave my family room!

The Health Benefits of Swimming

When I exercise I prefer to jog or do aerobics, but sometimes joint aches prevent me from doing so. For many years now, when this occurs, I turn to the water and get my workout in the pool.  Because of human's natural buoyancy, we are able to maneuver in the water and exercise without putting the stress of our own weight on our bodies.  This means we can do all sorts of exercises without straining our joints or bones.  Additionally, swimming laps using the freestyle stroke exercises every major muscle group in the body.  Swimming for thirty minutes can go a long way toward building muscle strength, getting a good cardiovascular workout, and shedding pounds.  And if you join a water aerobics class it can be a great social outlet.  So if you ever feel joint pain, or if you just feel like cooling off in the water, know that swimming is a great way to exercise!

National Breast Cancer Awarness Month

If any of you are football fans, you may have noticed NFL players wearing pink this weekend.  New fashion trend?  No.  The NFL does this every October in order to promote National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, and one of the leading causes of death for them.  Knowing the signs and symptoms of breast cancer is extremely important, for the sooner it is detected, the less harm it will likely cause.  At this website you will find almost everything you need to know about breast cancer: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001911/

National Council on Aging Receives $50,000 Grant to Educate Seniors on Hearing Loss

"One out of every four older Americans has an undetected or untreated hearing loss, and NCOA's research has shown that most older adults with hearing loss do not realize how much the quality of their lives has been affected," said Jim Firman, the president and CEO of NCOA, or the National Council on Aging.  United Health Foundation announced that they would give $50,000 to the NCOA to increase awareness among seniors about hearing loss and to work with health professionals to widen screening.  Often, decreases in hearing occur slowly and therefore go untreated.  Because loss in hearing can lead to social isolation and depression, it is a serious health issue.  To find out more information, visit www.unitedhealthfoundation.org, and even if you cannot receive a screeing from the NCOA, contact your local Agency on Aging to set up a hearing screening.