Guest Article: Caring For Your Loved One’s Health Over The Holidays

Written by Michelle Y. Llamas of Drugwatch.com

Stock Photo: Image ID: 87414971 Copyright: baki

Caring for an older loved one over the holidays can pose some unique challenges. In addition to looking out for the health of a loved one, caregivers also have to deal with the stress of caring and of the holidays. It can be easy for caregivers to become overwhelmed physically and emotionally, especially when caring for a loved one who may be mentally or physically impaired.

Even with these challenges, there are some steps that caregivers can take to ensure that the holidays are safe and enjoyable for loved ones as well as themselves.  Here are a few suggestions.

Keep Family Gatherings Simple and Warm

People may have a tendency to go overboard during holiday get-togethers. There may be a lot of time spent planning, preparing food and travelling. This can cause stress for both the caregiver and the senior. Instead, focus on quality versus quantity.

Try having the parties or holiday dinners at the primary place where you care for your loved one; this will eliminate stress of travel. If a loved one suffers from dementia or Alzheimer’s, removing them from a familiar environment may cause unnecessary stress or confusion.

Instead of decorating the entire house, focus on a few lights, wreaths or garlands. Focus on enjoying the process, routine and time together rather than the result.

When inviting guests, rather than having a large number of people over at a time, try spreading out visits. This will keep the stress level down while still allowing your loved one to socialize and connect with friends and family. Make sure to plan gatherings in advance. This will allow for plenty of time to organize an event and get your loved one ready for it.

When it comes to dinner, suggest a potluck. This will cut down on the amount of work you have to do to organize and clean up. And most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask for help. If family members are not available, third-party companies can also provide caregiving assistance to reduce the burden on you.

Keeping Yourself and Your Loved One Healthy

Caregivers spend a good deal of time fulfilling the needs of others and often forget their own needs. Some can even feel guilty for doing something for themselves. The holidays should be a time for caregivers to relax and enjoy their time as well.

In the middle of all the rushing about, make sure to stop and take a breath. Loved ones depend on caregivers, so they need to stay healthy too. Make sure to eat a balanced diet, and get some exercise. This will also help you manage stress.

When it comes loved ones, be mindful of their diets and exercise as well. Overeating and drinking too much alcohol are common during the holidays. Both are risk factors for developing heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure – all diseases that seniors have a higher risk for. If they already have these diseases, poor diet can increase complications from these conditions.

Icy conditions may also make getting around safely more difficult. Caregivers need to be mindful of the slippery conditions when outdoors.

Older adults are also more susceptible to colds and viruses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting older adults vaccinated, and there are special, stronger doses to keep seniors from getting the flu.

Most importantly, caregivers need to remember to take time out for themselves. Schedule it into the day, and stick to it. Take time to be thankful for the things that bring happiness and joy this season. With some careful planning, caregivers can decrease holiday stress while keeping loved ones safe and healthy.

Michelle Y. Llamas is a published writer and researcher. She hosts Drugwatch Radio, a health podcast, and writes about drugs and medical devices for Drugwatch.com.

Putting the ‘Care’ Back in Caregiving

More than 65 million people provide care for an ill, disabled, or aged family member or friend each year. Of those providing care, 13% provide it full-time, 40 hours a week.[i]

When do you shift from providing some caregiving to becoming the caregiver? When does a few hours of caregiving service become a full-time job? When does your status change from daughter to care provider? And where does the love go?

Family caregivers often take on their roles with good intentions. They love those that are in need of care, and they are willing to step in and provide that service. They don’t often realize what they are getting themselves into. Caregiving is not a weekly volunteer position that you can serve in for a few hours then leave and return to your life as if nothing has changed. As many caregivers come to discover, caregiving can and often does become your life.

When caregiving begins to feel like a full-time work position, it’s difficult not to be caught up in the mindset that this is something you have to do not something you want to do. The more you view caregiving as a job, the worse the situation will feel for you as a caregiver. Caregivers spend an average of 20 to 40 hours per week providing care for a loved one. The services they provide within that time essentially for ‘free’ are collectively valued at $375 billion per year.[ii] In addition to giving of their time and energy, family caregivers end up paying out-of-pocket for many caregiving costs totaling about $5,531 per caregiver per year.[iii] As you can see, caregiving as a job takes much more time and money than it will ever give.

Family caregivers who believe that caregiving is their job and not much more suffer emotionally. Forty to seventy percent of family caregivers have significant symptoms of depression with about a quarter to half of these caregivers diagnosed with major depression.[iv] When you take the love and purpose out of caregiving, you just feel like you’re giving, and giving, and giving in a cycle that always ends with you getting the short end of the stick.

As a family caregiver sometimes you just need to stop giving and start caring. Remember why you became the caregiver in the first place. Maybe no one else was willing to take the job. Maybe you felt obligated. Maybe you weren’t ready to just jump in but were feeling overwhelmed and a little nervous. Whatever the original situation and the reasons, at the heart of it all you took the job because you cared for your loved one.

The National Caregivers Library says, “Sometimes being with is more important than doing for.” You’ve been a caregiver for hours upon days upon weeks. Stop. Be a daughter or son again. Just for a few hours, letup being the family caregiver and start being family. Sit down with your loved one. Talk to them. Slow down and enjoy a few moments simply being with rather than constantly doing for.

Caregiving can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. Don’t lose sight of the driving engine behind the giving. Remember to love, remember to care. You’re not just an employee. You’re a neighbor, you’re a daughter, and you’re a friend. Give care and give love, and you’ll find you will get much more satisfaction in return.

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[i] National Alliance for Caregiving in Collaboration with AARP; November 2009

[ii] Evercare Survey of the Economic Downturn and Its Impact on Family Caregiving; National Alliance for Caregiving and Evercare. March 2009

[iii] Valuing the Invaluable: The Economic Value of Family Caregiving, 2008 Update. AARP

[iv] Zarit S. (2006). Assessment of Family Caregivers: A Research Perspective