Being a primary caregiver for an aging loved one can sometimes feel like the loneliness job on the planet. Saying that sounds a little odd, but I've found it to be true. Loneliness and the feeling of isolation can have significant mental impacts triggering depression and fatigue. Caregivers (especially family) get wrapped up in all the back and forth of the needs of the patient giving themselves physically and emotionally. Whether I'm talking to a daughter caring for a mother or evaluating a paid caregiver from a local provider agency I try to leave them with this thought: "take time to care for yourself."
The Mayo Clinic has a fantastic article on specifically reducing stress on caregivers...it's a must read any senior home caregiver. Our care director shared this article with me, I posted it to our website (www.inhomecareadvisors.com) for , and have passed along at least a 100 times....it helps!
