We often work with families where adult children are caregivers of their aging parents. This is an extremely stressful time. In many cases it may require virtually 24 hour care. There is a huge role reversal and in many cases it is emotionally draining and overwhelming for the adult caregivers.
Keeping a balance and maintaining good mental health is extremely important during these difficult times. While we are not health care or medical professionals, we often work with adult children and caregivers and have developed keen insights and tips that you may find helpful.
This is part of our best in class continuing series of articles and helpful tips and insights into senior care and senior transition services by Nick Santoro and Joe Santoro of Personal Property Managers. Personal Property Managers specializes in senior transition services such as home downsizing, content clean-out and removal services, estate home content sales, full service discount real estate services as well as moving services. We just try and make life just a little easier for families going through challenging times with our one-stop services. Our services, and these tips and insights are especially important in the environment we are in today, with the global economy turned upside down, massive job losses, and the need for extreme social distancing due to the Corona Virus, which causes the COVID-19 disease. We are happy to help you in any way we can. With Personal Property Managers....one call does it all.
Here are some helpful tips that will relieve stress and boost your health:
1. Take care of yourself by getting regular checkups and eating healthy.
2. Combine two things that are good for you: exercise and companionship. While someone else watches over Dad, go for a bike ride with a friend or play ball with your kids.
3. Get a good nights sleep. If possible, share nighttime responsibilities with someone else so you can get yourself to bed at a decent hour.
4. Laughter helps relieve stress and release positive emotions.
5. Combine a stress reliever with care giving tasks such as listening to music or watching videos while cooking dinner for Mom, doing laundry or paying her bills.
Tips for preventing caregiver burnout:
1. Ask others to help. Don’t think you’re the only one capable of helping your loved one. Ask around for help. Find out if a friend, neighbor or relative will chip in on the chores.
2. Take time for yourself each day by indulging in a good book for a half hour or taking a short nap. Or do something special for yourself each week, like a movie or shopping with a friend, or taking a long walk.
3. Take advantage of the many formal or informal services you can find.
4. Set limits on how much time and effort you can physically and mentally devote to care giving.
5. Let it all out... share your feelings of sadness or grief with a good friend, family member, spiritual advisor, professional counselor or anyone you can trust.
Keep hassles and small details in perspective. If the carpet doesn’t get vacuumed today, dinner is served later than usual or the laundry waits until tomorrow, that's OK. Need time for personal affairs, to get rest or to simply take a break?
Taking care of yourself is the best thing you can do for you and those you care for, so take it seriously.
We have also contributed useful information on this subject by writing on topics such as Caring for our Aging Population, How to Recognize Signs of Decline in our Aging Population and the Cost of Senior Care and your Options
For more insights, tips and videos please visit our Resource Page in the About us tab.
We offer 6 primary services to help families or executors. They are:
Additional info can be found on this brief 90 second video or a full array of great tips and insights and video by clicking on our resource page.
For more information on real estate or home downsizing please contact Nick Santoro or Joe Santoro of Personal Property Managers at 215-485-9272 or 908-368-1909. Personal Property Managers specializes in helping home owners transition from their home of many years into a new community. Personal Property Managers services Pennsylvania and New Jersey and offers downsizing services, estate sales services, home staging, discount full service real estate services via its association with EveryHome Realty. Learn more about Personal Property Managers from our recent News Stories.
