It’s hard to understand how much of an impact caregiving
will have on businesses because baby boomers are just beginning to retire. In
order to understand how businesses will be affected, we need to first
understand how many individuals will become caregivers.
In 1997, AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving
teamed up to research the impact of caregiving in the U.S. They found that about
22.4 million households they contacted provided some sort of caregiving, and of
this, 51.8% of these individuals were employed full-time[i].
In 2009, AARP conducted this same research, and there were 42.1 million
caregivers. Of this number, 58% are employed either full-time or part time[ii].
According to MetLife, the number of caregivers has tripled in the past 15
years. That is an incredibly high number of caregivers, and, with this number
tripling, many businesses will be affected by this.
How does all of this impact employers? In AARP’s Report,
“Valuing the Invaluable: 2011 Update,” they found that nearly seven in ten, or
69%, of caregivers have to make work accommodations because of their caregiving
responsibilities. These work place accommodations include things such as
working from home, creating a more flexible schedule, staying late to make up
missed hours and using sick time for caregiving responsibilities.However,
these work place accommodations do not always provide the best type of support
for caregivers.
While these changes can provide caregivers with more time to
attend to their caregiving responsibilities, they do not address some of the
emotional stressors involved with caregiving. In addition to being confusing
and overwhelming, caring for an ailing or aging loved one is extremely emotionally
taxing. As a result, caregivers work at the office can be impacted by anxiety,
depression, fear and some of the other emotions associated with caregiving.
According to AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, caregiving
can directly affect productivity in six ways:
Replacement costs to cover employees who quit as
a result of caregiving responsibilities
Absenteeism
Presenteeism costs
The costs associated with work day interruptions
Costs as a result of eldercare crises
The costs associated with supervising employed
caregivers
What can employers do? Employers can support their employees
through specific programs, such as WeCare+, that are designed to guide
caregivers through this process. In addition to providing resources, we will
provide guidance and support after conducting an on-site needs based
assessments. A field clinician will then follow up with the caregiver and their
family to provide support and guidance. To learn more about WeCare+, visit our
website here: http://www.longtermsol.com/programs/wecare
Friday, September 28, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
A Day in the Life of a Working Caregiver
According to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, 65 million people provide an average of 20 hours of care to ailing or aging loved ones in the United States. With about 10,000 baby boomers reaching retirement age every day, this number is expected to increase drastically. This dilemma is worsened by the fact that few resources are available for working caregivers and that each caregiving situation is highly unique.
Who are these caregivers? According to statistics provided by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, the typical caregiver is a 49-year-old woman who is married and employed. She provides care to her mother, who does not live with her.
Why are caregiving situations so stressful? Caregiving situations are incredibly stressful because they are emotionally and physically taxing. The best way to understand the amount of stress caregivers are under is by living through a caregiving experience, but looking at a typical day for a caregiver can provide a lot of insight.
This is what life is like as a working caregiver:
Kelly is a 49-year-old woman who, like the typical caregiver, is married, has children, and is providing care for her aging mother, Mary. Mary is mostly independent, but she recently had to have surgery after falling and breaking her hip. She is fortunate enough to be able to stay at home during her recovery.
5:45 a.m. Kelly wakes up to start getting her two children ready for school. She prepares breakfast for the entire family, makes two lunches, and packs the children’s backpacks.
7:00 a.m. She brings the children to the bus stop, and gets them on their way to school. She quickly stops back at her house to get ready for her day at the office.
7:30 a.m. While driving to work, Kelly calls to check on her mother, Mary. Mary says she is doing well, but that she’s concerned about the physical therapist coming to see her. She lives alone, and is somewhat hesitant about letting a new person into her home. She requests that Kelly be there when the physical therapist arrives. Kelly agrees to go over on her lunch break to see her mother then.
8:00 a.m. Kelly arrives to work, and sits down at her desk. She begins to go through her emails and missed calls from the past weekend.
10:00 a.m. Kelly notices a missed call on her cellphone. It’s from her mother. She calls her back to find out that her mother is becoming increasingly anxious about the visit from the physical therapist, and isn’t sure what paperwork she needs to have prepared or what identification she needs. Kelly talks to her for a half an hour, trying to calm her down. She does some quick online research to give her mother direction about what documentation she will need.
10:30 a.m. Kelly sits back down at her desk, still somewhat worried about her mother’s mental state. She wishes she could go to be with her mother now, but she has to stay at work until her lunch break and she already has some catching up to do after the phone call with her mother.
12:00 p.m. Kelly takes her lunch break, and goes to see her mother and the physical therapist. When she arrives, she finds that her mother is not very happy about having someone come into her home. She talks with her mother before the physical therapist arrives and calms her down.
12:15 p.m. The physical therapist arrives, and she is very kind and helpful. Mary goes through with her scheduled appointment, but it runs a little late because Kelly has a lot to discuss with the physical therapist about her mother’s health, insurance, and her exercises. She has to keep track of this information because her mother will easily lose or forget it.
1:00 p.m. Kelly arrives back to work, and sits down to try to finish her work before she has to leave to pick up her children. She apologizes to her manager for taking a long lunch break.
2:55 p.m. Kelly receives a phone call from her mother. With all of the commotion of the day, her mother didn’t prepare any dinner. She asks if Kelly could bring her over some food after their family dinner. Kelly agrees to take her mother dinner after she sits down with her family.
3:00 p.m. Kelly has to leave work to pick up her children from school. She brings the kids back home, but has to go back to the office to work on a project she wasn’t able to complete earlier because of her mother’s physical therapy appointment.
5:00 p.m. With only an hour to go before dinner, Kelly rushes out of the office and stops by the grocery store to pick up food for the family.
6:00 p.m. The family sits down to eat, and Kelly realizes she has to help her son with a math project that is due the next day. She puts aside some dinner for her mother to bring to her later.
7:00 p.m. Kelly drives over to her mother’s house to bring her dinner. Her mother is somewhat lonely, so she talks to Kelly about her day and the children for an hour.
8:00 p.m. Kelly comes home to help her son with his math project. It takes about two hours.
10:00 p.m. Kelly finally has an hour or two to herself. She takes out her laptop and tries to work on that project she didn’t finish today.
11:00 p.m. Kelly finally decides it’s time to go to sleep, and she isn’t able to do much work on her project anyways because she’s worried about her mother.
As you can see, a working caregiver’s hours are primarily devoted to caring for their ailing or aging loved one and providing care for their family. Kelly barely has any time for herself, and, she spends most of the day racing between appointments and trying to provide support for her family. In addition to physically spending time with her mother, Kelly spends a lot of time struggling with the emotional aspect of caregiving. She is worried, upset, and saddened by the situation. Work is the last thing that Kelly can worry about while she’s caregiving. All of this affects Kelly's productivity and her ability to focus on her work.
How can employers support caregivers? At Long Term Solutions, we’re trying to do that. We have a unique program, WeCare+ that is designed for employers. With WeCare+, Long Term Solutions provides support to working caregivers. To learn more about WeCare+, please click here.
Who are these caregivers? According to statistics provided by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, the typical caregiver is a 49-year-old woman who is married and employed. She provides care to her mother, who does not live with her.
Why are caregiving situations so stressful? Caregiving situations are incredibly stressful because they are emotionally and physically taxing. The best way to understand the amount of stress caregivers are under is by living through a caregiving experience, but looking at a typical day for a caregiver can provide a lot of insight.
This is what life is like as a working caregiver:
Kelly is a 49-year-old woman who, like the typical caregiver, is married, has children, and is providing care for her aging mother, Mary. Mary is mostly independent, but she recently had to have surgery after falling and breaking her hip. She is fortunate enough to be able to stay at home during her recovery.
5:45 a.m. Kelly wakes up to start getting her two children ready for school. She prepares breakfast for the entire family, makes two lunches, and packs the children’s backpacks.
7:00 a.m. She brings the children to the bus stop, and gets them on their way to school. She quickly stops back at her house to get ready for her day at the office.
7:30 a.m. While driving to work, Kelly calls to check on her mother, Mary. Mary says she is doing well, but that she’s concerned about the physical therapist coming to see her. She lives alone, and is somewhat hesitant about letting a new person into her home. She requests that Kelly be there when the physical therapist arrives. Kelly agrees to go over on her lunch break to see her mother then.
8:00 a.m. Kelly arrives to work, and sits down at her desk. She begins to go through her emails and missed calls from the past weekend.
10:00 a.m. Kelly notices a missed call on her cellphone. It’s from her mother. She calls her back to find out that her mother is becoming increasingly anxious about the visit from the physical therapist, and isn’t sure what paperwork she needs to have prepared or what identification she needs. Kelly talks to her for a half an hour, trying to calm her down. She does some quick online research to give her mother direction about what documentation she will need.
10:30 a.m. Kelly sits back down at her desk, still somewhat worried about her mother’s mental state. She wishes she could go to be with her mother now, but she has to stay at work until her lunch break and she already has some catching up to do after the phone call with her mother.
12:00 p.m. Kelly takes her lunch break, and goes to see her mother and the physical therapist. When she arrives, she finds that her mother is not very happy about having someone come into her home. She talks with her mother before the physical therapist arrives and calms her down.
12:15 p.m. The physical therapist arrives, and she is very kind and helpful. Mary goes through with her scheduled appointment, but it runs a little late because Kelly has a lot to discuss with the physical therapist about her mother’s health, insurance, and her exercises. She has to keep track of this information because her mother will easily lose or forget it.
1:00 p.m. Kelly arrives back to work, and sits down to try to finish her work before she has to leave to pick up her children. She apologizes to her manager for taking a long lunch break.
2:55 p.m. Kelly receives a phone call from her mother. With all of the commotion of the day, her mother didn’t prepare any dinner. She asks if Kelly could bring her over some food after their family dinner. Kelly agrees to take her mother dinner after she sits down with her family.
3:00 p.m. Kelly has to leave work to pick up her children from school. She brings the kids back home, but has to go back to the office to work on a project she wasn’t able to complete earlier because of her mother’s physical therapy appointment.
5:00 p.m. With only an hour to go before dinner, Kelly rushes out of the office and stops by the grocery store to pick up food for the family.
6:00 p.m. The family sits down to eat, and Kelly realizes she has to help her son with a math project that is due the next day. She puts aside some dinner for her mother to bring to her later.
7:00 p.m. Kelly drives over to her mother’s house to bring her dinner. Her mother is somewhat lonely, so she talks to Kelly about her day and the children for an hour.
8:00 p.m. Kelly comes home to help her son with his math project. It takes about two hours.
10:00 p.m. Kelly finally has an hour or two to herself. She takes out her laptop and tries to work on that project she didn’t finish today.
11:00 p.m. Kelly finally decides it’s time to go to sleep, and she isn’t able to do much work on her project anyways because she’s worried about her mother.
As you can see, a working caregiver’s hours are primarily devoted to caring for their ailing or aging loved one and providing care for their family. Kelly barely has any time for herself, and, she spends most of the day racing between appointments and trying to provide support for her family. In addition to physically spending time with her mother, Kelly spends a lot of time struggling with the emotional aspect of caregiving. She is worried, upset, and saddened by the situation. Work is the last thing that Kelly can worry about while she’s caregiving. All of this affects Kelly's productivity and her ability to focus on her work.
How can employers support caregivers? At Long Term Solutions, we’re trying to do that. We have a unique program, WeCare+ that is designed for employers. With WeCare+, Long Term Solutions provides support to working caregivers. To learn more about WeCare+, please click here.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Caregivers at LTS: Brenda
“What I really love about working on the administrative side of Long Term Solutions is that at the end of the day I know the work we do is helping someone,” explained Brenda.
“At the other end of the phone or on the other end of the assessment is someone
who we’re helping. There’s a person behind every claim number.”
Caregiving is something Brenda has been doing full-time since 2000, and, because of this, she is really able to relate to the adult caregivers she talks to on the phone every day.
“Caregiving is very hard, but I’ve found that one line really helps the adult caregivers: 'it’s not easy raising a parent,'” said Brenda laughing.
This lighthearted humor is a part of her family, and she’s incorporated this into her caregiving duties. In 2001, when Brenda was just 36, her mother was diagnosed with sarcoidosis of the lungs, and eventually became wheelchair bound and required constant oxygen. Her father’s vision started failing and he was legally blind by 2001. Between 2001 and 2004, Brenda primarily looked after her mother because her mother continued to help with her father’s care, despite her worsening condition.
“They really complimented each other and that’s why their marriage was so successful. They were best friends. As they aged, their joke was that my mother was my father’s eyes, and my father was my mother’s legs, so together they would be a complete person,” said Brenda smiling.
Unfortunately, Brenda’s mother’s condition worsened in 2004 and she became very ill. Before she passed away, Brenda promised to watch after her mother’s husband and best friend.
“I said ‘you can go and be at peace, I will always take care of dad. I want you to know that,’” explained Brenda. “I feel like it is an honor to do, as much as it can sometimes be frustrating.”
That is a promise that Brenda has fulfilled two-fold, and in 2004 she became the full-time caregiver for her father. Prior to her mother’s passing, she had moved in with her parents to provide better care for them. They lived in a home in Connecticut, and then together in a ranch house in Florida. After Brenda’s mother passed away, it was very painful for her father to live in the house he had shared with his wife. Brenda decided that they should move back to New England. They moved to Massachusetts in December 2006.
“Now we’re in a condo, and in a condo, you don’t have a lot of personal space,” said Brenda laughing. “It’s difficult at times. For example, if you don’t want to listen to the music my dad is listening to you don’t really have a choice. I’ve listened to a lot of Eva Cassidy.”
With her father’s diagnosis, it can be difficult for him to leave the house. He gave up driving about six months after he realized his vision was failing. Brenda has a difficult time encouraging him to leave the house because he has a natural tendency to be somewhat reclusive.
“He isolates himself at home, so, in a lot of ways, I’m his only social outlet in addition to being his full-time caretaker. I don’t get upset, but sometimes it gets to you.”
Instead of finding activities at the local senior center, he opts to spend most of his time with their miniature schnauzer, Maddie. She is 12-years-old, and also lost her vision this past year. The pair spends their day together, and they’ve worked out quite a schedule. The two go outside walking, and her father will take his seated walker and watch Maddie as she walks around. The two then make their way down the road to the gas station to buy scratch tickets, and then to Dunkin Donuts for lunch. In addition to their outside activities, they spend some of their day watching Home Shopping Network and researching their family tree with a computer that has been adapted to compensate for his reduced vision.
“I never realized that, until my mom passed away, my mom kept my father really in control and grounded. Without her, if left to his own devices, he will really do some silly, silly things,” joked Brenda.
However, Brenda has worked incredibly hard to help her father maintain a sense of independence.
“That’s one of the things I always think about. How can I provide him with some independence? I always give him options for dinner, for example. I like him to have some control. It’s very hard to feel like you’re losing your independence, especially for men.”
From ensuring that the carpeting in their condo was flush with the walls and level with the hardwood floors so that her father wouldn’t trip, to hunting down a specialized stove to allow her father to cook, Brenda has actively pushed to provide her father with this independence. Brenda is now preparing to remodel their bathroom to make the shower more accessible.
“Well, the most rewarding thing about caregiving is knowing that my dad is happy where he is, and knowing that the quality of life that I’m able to give him is appreciated,” explained Brenda.
It’s this perspective and appreciation that has helped Brenda while working with other adult caregivers.
“My experience with my dad has really helped me. When the caregivers are stressed out, I know it helps just to have someone listening to them and telling them that we are there for them. I always say how lucky their parents are to have them as an advocate, and how wonderful it is that they take the time to be involved in their parent’s care,” explained Brenda. “It’s not easy for them. But, it can help if you put it into perspective – how much your parents did for you, and how much you can give back.”
Caregiving is something Brenda has been doing full-time since 2000, and, because of this, she is really able to relate to the adult caregivers she talks to on the phone every day.
“Caregiving is very hard, but I’ve found that one line really helps the adult caregivers: 'it’s not easy raising a parent,'” said Brenda laughing.
This lighthearted humor is a part of her family, and she’s incorporated this into her caregiving duties. In 2001, when Brenda was just 36, her mother was diagnosed with sarcoidosis of the lungs, and eventually became wheelchair bound and required constant oxygen. Her father’s vision started failing and he was legally blind by 2001. Between 2001 and 2004, Brenda primarily looked after her mother because her mother continued to help with her father’s care, despite her worsening condition.
“They really complimented each other and that’s why their marriage was so successful. They were best friends. As they aged, their joke was that my mother was my father’s eyes, and my father was my mother’s legs, so together they would be a complete person,” said Brenda smiling.
Unfortunately, Brenda’s mother’s condition worsened in 2004 and she became very ill. Before she passed away, Brenda promised to watch after her mother’s husband and best friend.
“I said ‘you can go and be at peace, I will always take care of dad. I want you to know that,’” explained Brenda. “I feel like it is an honor to do, as much as it can sometimes be frustrating.”
That is a promise that Brenda has fulfilled two-fold, and in 2004 she became the full-time caregiver for her father. Prior to her mother’s passing, she had moved in with her parents to provide better care for them. They lived in a home in Connecticut, and then together in a ranch house in Florida. After Brenda’s mother passed away, it was very painful for her father to live in the house he had shared with his wife. Brenda decided that they should move back to New England. They moved to Massachusetts in December 2006.
“Now we’re in a condo, and in a condo, you don’t have a lot of personal space,” said Brenda laughing. “It’s difficult at times. For example, if you don’t want to listen to the music my dad is listening to you don’t really have a choice. I’ve listened to a lot of Eva Cassidy.”
With her father’s diagnosis, it can be difficult for him to leave the house. He gave up driving about six months after he realized his vision was failing. Brenda has a difficult time encouraging him to leave the house because he has a natural tendency to be somewhat reclusive.
“He isolates himself at home, so, in a lot of ways, I’m his only social outlet in addition to being his full-time caretaker. I don’t get upset, but sometimes it gets to you.”
Instead of finding activities at the local senior center, he opts to spend most of his time with their miniature schnauzer, Maddie. She is 12-years-old, and also lost her vision this past year. The pair spends their day together, and they’ve worked out quite a schedule. The two go outside walking, and her father will take his seated walker and watch Maddie as she walks around. The two then make their way down the road to the gas station to buy scratch tickets, and then to Dunkin Donuts for lunch. In addition to their outside activities, they spend some of their day watching Home Shopping Network and researching their family tree with a computer that has been adapted to compensate for his reduced vision.
“I never realized that, until my mom passed away, my mom kept my father really in control and grounded. Without her, if left to his own devices, he will really do some silly, silly things,” joked Brenda.
However, Brenda has worked incredibly hard to help her father maintain a sense of independence.
“That’s one of the things I always think about. How can I provide him with some independence? I always give him options for dinner, for example. I like him to have some control. It’s very hard to feel like you’re losing your independence, especially for men.”
From ensuring that the carpeting in their condo was flush with the walls and level with the hardwood floors so that her father wouldn’t trip, to hunting down a specialized stove to allow her father to cook, Brenda has actively pushed to provide her father with this independence. Brenda is now preparing to remodel their bathroom to make the shower more accessible.
“Well, the most rewarding thing about caregiving is knowing that my dad is happy where he is, and knowing that the quality of life that I’m able to give him is appreciated,” explained Brenda.
It’s this perspective and appreciation that has helped Brenda while working with other adult caregivers.
“My experience with my dad has really helped me. When the caregivers are stressed out, I know it helps just to have someone listening to them and telling them that we are there for them. I always say how lucky their parents are to have them as an advocate, and how wonderful it is that they take the time to be involved in their parent’s care,” explained Brenda. “It’s not easy for them. But, it can help if you put it into perspective – how much your parents did for you, and how much you can give back.”
Friday, August 17, 2012
Caregiving and the Importance of Balanced Eating
Caregivers, you need to take care of yourself! One of the first steps towards doing this is maintaining a nutritionally balanced diet. Unfortunately,
eating can be one of the first thing affected by caregiving. Eating an
imbalanced diet can lead to malnutrition, erratic blood sugar levels, fat
storage, fatigue and more. There are a couple of pitfalls that can impact how and when you eat. Be sure to know how to recognize these and avoid them.
First, most caregivers are guilty of skipping meals. A jam packed schedule and a never-ending to do list can quickly push meal time to last priority. The demands of the feeding schedule of the person you are taking care of can also impact how you support your own eating. When preparing meals and shopping constantly for someone else, it’s easy to forget your own nutritional needs. Try not to fall into the habit of forgetting yourself. It may not be easy, but do try preparing your meals ahead of time. If you can cook several meals for yourself on the weekend, you’ll be stocked and prepared to have well-balanced meals during the course of the upcoming week.
Secondly, eating and emotions are very closely linked. Light stress can induce extra eating, while extreme stress can cause one to avoid eating all together or eating too much. It’s safe to say that caregiving can include varying levels of stress. As a caregiver, you need to learn how to identify when these emotions are impacting your diet. Once you’re able to do so, you can avoid the emotional eating trap.
Remember, you have to take care of yourself in order to fully provide care for the one you love. This is not selfish, it is prudent. By taking care of yourself, you’re able to provide the best care for the one you love.
First, most caregivers are guilty of skipping meals. A jam packed schedule and a never-ending to do list can quickly push meal time to last priority. The demands of the feeding schedule of the person you are taking care of can also impact how you support your own eating. When preparing meals and shopping constantly for someone else, it’s easy to forget your own nutritional needs. Try not to fall into the habit of forgetting yourself. It may not be easy, but do try preparing your meals ahead of time. If you can cook several meals for yourself on the weekend, you’ll be stocked and prepared to have well-balanced meals during the course of the upcoming week.
Secondly, eating and emotions are very closely linked. Light stress can induce extra eating, while extreme stress can cause one to avoid eating all together or eating too much. It’s safe to say that caregiving can include varying levels of stress. As a caregiver, you need to learn how to identify when these emotions are impacting your diet. Once you’re able to do so, you can avoid the emotional eating trap.
Remember, you have to take care of yourself in order to fully provide care for the one you love. This is not selfish, it is prudent. By taking care of yourself, you’re able to provide the best care for the one you love.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Work-Life Balance and Doctor's Appointments
There has been a lot of discussion about work-life balance for mothers, but does work-life balance exist for all caregivers?
One responsibility that caregivers regularly assume is bringing loved ones young and old to medical appointments. For caregivers caring for an aging or ailing loved one, these medical appointments can happen extremely frequently. This can cut into work hours, and the commute can sometimes be the least distracting part of the trip. Caregivers have to figure out how to transport their aging or ailing loved one, how to get them ready for the medical appointment, how to assemble all of their medical information, think of questions to ask the medical staff, determine how to navigate any inaccessible buildings, and more. Caregivers have to juggle all of these concerns in addition to working full-time. What can be done to help?
Here at Long Term Solutions, we understand that even with these options, caregivers are still stressed. We help working caregivers achieve this balance. Through our signature program, WeCare+, we will work with families to assess their situation, develop a plan of care and guide them to resources that will support their needs.
Do you know anyone struggling with work-life balance as a caregiver? What kind of support and advice can you offer to them?
One responsibility that caregivers regularly assume is bringing loved ones young and old to medical appointments. For caregivers caring for an aging or ailing loved one, these medical appointments can happen extremely frequently. This can cut into work hours, and the commute can sometimes be the least distracting part of the trip. Caregivers have to figure out how to transport their aging or ailing loved one, how to get them ready for the medical appointment, how to assemble all of their medical information, think of questions to ask the medical staff, determine how to navigate any inaccessible buildings, and more. Caregivers have to juggle all of these concerns in addition to working full-time. What can be done to help?
- Keeping an open line of communication between the caregiver employee and their manager
- Flexible hours
- The option to work from home
- An eldercare support program
- Supporting them with access to resources and support
Here at Long Term Solutions, we understand that even with these options, caregivers are still stressed. We help working caregivers achieve this balance. Through our signature program, WeCare+, we will work with families to assess their situation, develop a plan of care and guide them to resources that will support their needs.
Do you know anyone struggling with work-life balance as a caregiver? What kind of support and advice can you offer to them?
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Anne and Noreen on Radio Entrepreneurs
Here's a photo of Anne and Noreen that was taken during their segment on the "Radio Entrepreneurs Show." Last week, they had the opportunity to speak with hosts Jennifer and Jeff about Long Term Solutions, and how LTS supports and guides families in providing care for ailing or aging loved ones.
To listen to the segment go to the link below and scroll down to the August 1 recordings.
http://radioentrepreneurs.com/Recordings.html
Monday, August 6, 2012
5 Tips for Saying 'No'
As a caregiver, you probably have a natural inclination to say yes to every request for your time and assistance. This blog post is going to serve as a friendly reminder that you don’t have to always say yes, and it is okay to say no. Here are some tips for saying no:
1. Appreciate how much time you’re dedicating to caregiving, and accept that you are very busy. Once you acknowledge your jam packed schedule, it will be easier to say no.
2. Take time to think about a request. It’s okay to tell a friend that you need to check your schedule and get back to them. Avoid impulsively saying yes to everything.
3. Accept the request, but reschedule it to fit into your schedule. Practice saying things such as “I’m sorry, I can’t help you on Friday, but I could give you a hand on Monday.”
4. Practice saying no. Start with little requests, and eventually you’ll feel more comfortable saying no.
5. Quiet that voice in your head and stop feeling guilty. People won’t think you are rude or selfish if you say no.
1. Appreciate how much time you’re dedicating to caregiving, and accept that you are very busy. Once you acknowledge your jam packed schedule, it will be easier to say no.
2. Take time to think about a request. It’s okay to tell a friend that you need to check your schedule and get back to them. Avoid impulsively saying yes to everything.
3. Accept the request, but reschedule it to fit into your schedule. Practice saying things such as “I’m sorry, I can’t help you on Friday, but I could give you a hand on Monday.”
4. Practice saying no. Start with little requests, and eventually you’ll feel more comfortable saying no.
5. Quiet that voice in your head and stop feeling guilty. People won’t think you are rude or selfish if you say no.
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