Caregiver Stress: Tips for Taking Care of Yourself

With an aging population and changes in health care, such as shorter hospital stays, more and more caregiving is being provided by people who aren't health care professionals. A caregiver is anyone who provides help to another person in need, whether that's an ill spouse or partner, a disabled child, or an aging relative. Indeed, more than 65 million Americans provide care to a loved one.

Caregiving is rewarding but stressful

If you're a caregiver, you know that taking care of someone who needs your assistance can be very rewarding. Being there for your loved ones when they need you is a core value for many. But being a caregiver can exact a high toll, and caregiver stress is common.

Caregiver stress is the emotional and physical strain of caregiving. Individuals who experience the most caregiver stress are the most vulnerable to changes in their own health.

Many caregivers fall into the trap of believing that they have to do everything by themselves. Don't make that mistake. Take advantage of the many resources and tools available to help you provide care for your loved one. Remember, if you don't take care of yourself you won't be able to care for anyone else.

Signs of caregiver stress

As a caregiver, you may be so focused on your loved one that you don't realize that your own health and well-being are suffering. Watch for these signs of caregiver stress:

• Feeling tired most of the time
• Feeling overwhelmed and irritable
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Gaining or losing a lot of weight
• Losing interest in activities you used to enjoy

Too much stress, especially over a long time, can harm your health. As a caregiver, you're more likely to experience symptoms of depression or anxiety. In addition, you may not get enough physical activity or eat a balanced diet, which only increases your risk of medical problems, such as heart disease and diabetes.

Strategies for dealing with caregiver stress

The emotional and physical demands involved with caregiving can strain even the most resilient person. That's why it's so important to take advantage of available help and support. These strategies have helped others manage their caregiver stress:

• Accept help. Be prepared with a list of ways that others can help you, and let the helper choose what he or she would like to do. For instance, one person might be willing to take the person you care for on a walk a couple of times a week. Someone else might offer to pick up groceries or even to cook for you.

• Focus on what you are able to provide. Don't give in to guilt. Feeling guilty is normal, but understand that no one is a "perfect" caregiver. You're doing the best you can at any given time. Your house does not have to be perfect, and no one will care if you eat leftovers three days in a row. And you don't have to feel guilty about asking for help.

• Get connected. Organizations such as the Red Cross and the Alzheimer's Association offer classes on caregiving, and local hospitals may have classes specifically about the disease your loved one is facing.

• Join a support group. A support group can be a great source for encouragement and advice from others in similar situations. It can also be a good place to make new friends.

• Seek social support. Make an effort to stay emotionally connected with family and friends. Set aside time each week for socializing, even if it's just a walk with a friend. Whenever possible, make plans that get you out of the house. Many have identified that maintaining a strong support system is the key to managing the stress associated with caregiving.

• Set personal health goals. For example, set a goal to find time to be physically active on most days of the week, or set a goal for getting a good night's sleep. It's also crucial to eat a healthy diet.

• See your doctor. Get recommended immunizations and screenings. Make sure to tell your doctor that you're a caregiver. Don't hesitate to mention any concerns or symptoms you have.

~Information taken from http://www.mayoclinic.com/

March is National Nutrition Month

National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. NNM also promotes the Academy and its members to the public and the media as the most valuable and credible source of timely, scientifically based food and nutrition information.

National Nutrition Month 2012's theme is "Get Your Plate in Shape," but it's also a great time to watch what you drink. If you're consuming hundreds of extra calories each week through high-calorie, low-nutrient drinks, small changes can make a big difference in your health. To start, try to drink water in place of high calorie drinks. Here are some other options.

Choose low-fat or fat-free milk. Swap whole milk for low-fat or fat-free milk. Low-fat milk has the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but less fat and calories. (To see how whole milk and fat-free milk compare in calories, fat and nutrients, check out the MyPlate Food-A-Pedia tool.) If you're lactose intolerant, try lactose-free milk or a calcium-fortified soy beverage.

Drink real juice. All fruit beverages are not created equal. When choosing juice, look for "100% juice" on the label and enjoy fruit juice in moderate amounts. Some fruit drinks are mostly water with fruit flavoring and sugar or other sweeteners. These drinks don't pack the nutritional boost you get from 100% juice, and they're high in calories.

Cut back on fancy coffee drinks. Plain coffee without added sugar and cream has only 2 calories and no fat per 8-ounce serving, but two teaspoons of sugar adds 32 calories, and a tablespoon of half-and-half adds 20 calories. If you drink multiple cups of coffee with cream and sugar daily, the empty calories quickly add up. Watch out for fancy espresso drinks too. Sweetened coffee drinks like mochas with whipped cream often pack 500 to 700 calories a drink—more calories than a fast-food cheeseburger. Keep your coffee simple. If you must add sugar, do so sparingly, and add low-fat or fat-free milk instead of cream.

Watch your glass size. People losing weight sometimes trade large dinner plates for smaller ones to create the illusion of larger portion sizes. This trick works for drinking glasses too. To see how your glassware stacks up, pour one cup of water into each type of glass. Observe how different the same portion looks from glass to glass.

Mix it up. If you're trying to beat a soft drink habit, try subbing in water or seltzer water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or mix a few ounces of juice with equal parts water or seltzer water. For a refreshing change from coffee, try a new kind of tea—green, white or a blend in place of black tea. Mint, fruit and herbal teas are flavorful and also calorie-free (if you don't add sugar or milk).

Click here to play the ------> Fact or Fiction Nutrition Game

~All information from http://www.eatright.org/ 

Alzheimer’s & Dementia Series Offered in April

A two-part education series will be offered in Portage for families, friends and care-partners of persons who have Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia. The ABC’s of Alzheimer’s & Dementia is designed to enhance understanding of the disease, how it affects those who have it and how to effectively deal with it day-to-day.

           

When:                          Tuesdays, April 17 & April 24, from 5:30–7:30 p.m.

Where:                        The Gathering Room at Tivoli, 2805 Hunters Trail, Portage

                                    (Tivoli is located behind Divine Savior Hospital, next to the Dean Clinic)

Sponsored by:             The Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin

Co-Sponsored by:       Tivoli at Divine Savior Healthcare

Cost:                            Free; donations encouraged

Reservations:              742-9055 or 1-888-308-6251 (toll-free) or carol.olson@alzwisc.org

     

Session I provides a medical overview of Alzheimer’s and other dementia. It will cover the differences between normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, and the various types of dementia – including symptoms, diagnosis, disease progression, treatment options, and an update on current research.  Dr. Craig Atwood, Associate Professor of Geriatrics & Gerontology at the UW School of Medicine AND Research Director at the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in Madison will present this session.

Session II focuses on 1) the experience of dementia and how it affects a person’s functioning; 2) how to best help the person maintain function and quality of life, and 3) resources and support available to help.  Carol Olson, local Outreach Specialist for the Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin will present this session.

Light refreshments and resource materials will be provided. Advance registration is strongly encouraged.  Please contact Carol at 608-742-9055 or carol.olson@alzwisc.org with any questions.

Wisconsin Senior Olympics

For Men and Women 50 Years and Older

Competitions held August 24-September 16, 2012

For more information and to receive a brochure contact:

Wisconsin Senior Olympics

Phone: (262) 424-2149

Email: info@wiseniorolympics.com

Website: www.wiseniorolympics.com

• Archery
• Badminton
• Basketball
• Bowling
• Cycling
• Free-throw Shooting
• Golf
• Horseshoes
• Lawn Bowling
• Pickleball
• Powerlifting
• Power Walk
• Race Walking
• Racquetball
• 5K Road Race
• Shuffleboard
• Softball
• Swimming
• Table Tennis
• Track & Field
• Triathlon
• Volleyball

Volunteers are needed for each sporting event. 

Please contact Wisconsin Senior Olympics if you are interested. 

Wisconsin Senior Olympics