AMERICUS — There are over 65 million Americans providing care for parents, relatives, spouses, and children, and caregiving is difficult. This is never more apparent than during the busy holiday season.
Everyone wants everything to be picture-perfect for the holiday season. However, the stress of living up to this perfection causes unnecessary stress to our caregiving heroes.
It is important that Caregivers understand the importance of taking care of themselves, so they cannot only continue being a caregiver, but also so they, too, can enjoy this wonderful time of the year.
• Let go of control. Nothing is perfect and this is particularly true for being a caregiver during the busy holiday season. It is important as a caregiver to learn to let go of the expectation of perfection and move on. Focus instead on creating meaningful memories with your loved ones.
• Do not be afraid to reach out. It is OK to need help. There are several support group platforms through local churches or through virtual platforms. Make a list of tasks that would help relieve stress during the holidays. These can be shopping for groceries or doing laundry, and even cooking.
• Create a plan. Planning out holiday activities can cut out undue stress of the holidays. Spread out holiday activities and try not to pack too much into one day.
• It is OK to say no. Do not be afraid to say no to activities that might be overwhelming to you or your care recipient. Understand that saying no does not mean you are a bad person, but need time to take care of yourself, so you can be the best caregiver you can be.
For more information on the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving visit: http://www.rosalynncarter.org/