The main problem with being a caregiver is that overwhelming feeling of absolute exhaustion at the end of each day. This of course, often results in the caregiver being on the verge of a breakdown, which leads to his/her health being negatively impacted.
Guilt is yet another enormous contributing factor to the stress level of a caregiver.
Fortunately, more research is being done into understanding caregiver guilt. The following few hints and tips should go a long way to helping the caregiver to feel less anxious and take better care of him/herself.
5 Reasons why caregivers feel guilty
Following is a list of these 5 reasons and what the caregiver can do to change those feelings from negative to positive:
1. Becoming impatient – you would be hard-pressed to find a caregiver who doesn’t lose their patience at times, especially when the patient is an old family member with dementia.
What to do – take a short break when you’re tired and feel that you’re about to blow your top. Use those few minutes to calm down and recharge your batteries, rather than harbouring feelings of guilt.
2. Not spending enough time with your loved one – sometimes you are just too busy with other things when your mum/dad asks you to sit with them for a while longer. Don’t go on a guilt trip when you can’t stay longer.
What to do – make the time you spend with your dad as pleasant as possible and consider hiring a companion to keep your loved one company for the rest of the time.
3. Putting my dad in a home makes me feel guilty – perhaps your dad didn’t want to go to a home, or maybe you feel that you should have tried harder to keep him living with you. What’s done is done, so don’t stress about it.
What to do – as long as your dad is in a good place such as Eastleigh care home in North Devon, you can rest assured that your loved one is receiving specialist, expert care. Take comfort in knowing they are in the best possible place, with professionals who know how to handle the needs of the elderly. It is also advised to hire elder lawyers who will handle all the needs of the elderly and voice their needs and rights. For the elderly, it is best for them to hire lawyers for wills in Minneapolis.
4. Getting frustrated and angry makes me feel guilty – As stated by the probate lawyer, you probably see your frustrations and anger as signs of weakness, like most people. However, these feelings are quite normal and if you try to hide them, your health will suffer.
What to do – when you feel anger and frustration building up, walk outside and have a good cry, vent your anger by punching a pillow, or phone a friend, and let it all out, instead of feeling guilty.
5. I feel guilty if I have some “me” time – you might feel that you have a duty to be there for your dad 24/7. However, you and your health are equally as important, so it is perfectly okay to take some time for yourself.
What to do – make sure to look after yourself, because the healthier you are, the better you will be able to care for your loved one.
In conclusion
As a caregiver, it is absolutely essential that you remind yourself all the time that you are just as important as your loved one in this situation. If you keep yourself happy and healthy, you will be able to do the same for your loved one. It’s that simple.