Tips for Staying Positive When Dad’s Care is Dragging You Down
You and your siblings opted to split your dad’s care. You’re taking on the bulk of his care, and it’s starting to weigh on you. You know you need to stay positive for your dad’s sake, but it’s becoming a struggle.
Home Care Services in Fairfax VA: Caregiver Tips
Here are tips for staying positive when you simply do not feel positive.
Vent Your Frustrations With Your Siblings
Talk to your siblings about the current situation. If you’re not happy with the way things are going, tell them. See if the schedules can be rearranged so that you get extra time off. You may decide that the arrangement doesn’t work and that elderly care services are needed to make sure your dad gets the quality care he needs.
Sign Up for a Caregiver’s Support Group
Surrounding yourself with others who have been in your shoes will help. Join a support group where you can discuss your frustrations and get help from others. There are general caregiver support groups and specialized ones for specific diseases. If your dad has Alzheimer’s, look for a support group for Alzheimer’s caregiver. If he has cancer, look for a cancer caregiving support group.
Do Something That Makes You Feel Good
One of the easiest ways to stay positive is by doing something that makes you feel good. If you love seeing someone smile after getting a surprise, anonymously pay for someone’s coffee at the local coffee shop and then sit back and watch that person’s face. Cook your dad’s neighbor a dozen cookies or bring him his favorite lunch.
Turn on Music and Dance
Even if you have no sense of rhythm, put on some dance music and dance off your frustration. It’s a good way to expend stress. Your dad can join you if his mobility doesn’t limit his movements. If he can’t get up, he can dance along in his chair.
Enlist Help for Your Own Respite
You’ll need regular breaks if you’re going to keep a positive attitude. If your sibling’s schedule doesn’t match up to times when you could join friends or go out with your significant other, look into professional caregivers.
Elderly care services cover respite. Get out for an hour or two with the help of a caregiver. When you return, you’ll be refreshed and ready to provide your dad’s care.
If a short break isn’t enough, look into elderly care for longer breaks. Leave your dad with a caregiver for a whole day while you relax, unwind, and get back to a positive frame of mind. Call today to learn more about taking a break from family caregiving.
If you or a loved-one are considering hiring home care services in Fairfax, VA, please contact the caring staff at Quality Health Services LLC. Call today 703-910-7081.
In the course of his career he has obtained different instructor certifications and trains people on how to save lives using American Heart Association guidelines for Basic Life support, First Aide and Advance Cardiac Life Support. He has been an advocate for caregiver training and have obtained Train-the-Trainer certifications which have enabled him to train caregivers to help seniors, along with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, function well at home and in their communities.
Ivo is grounded in the belief that people do better in their familiar environment. He started Quality Health Services, LLC in 2010 to provide the highest quality of “In-Home” care with compassion and diligence. Also, by promoting and supporting every client’s optimum level of independence, quality of life and well-being while preserving their dignity.
"Grounded in the knowledge that people are happiest at home, we have made it our priority to help our patients remain and thrive in their familiar environment – HOME. "