Self-care for carers

'Self-care for carers' 

I've been thinking for some times what an amazing job carers do; some chose to do out of love, some out of friendship & some find themselves doing it by accident. I'm sure that there are very few people who would choose to do this almost 24 hour job without any timed breaks. This was brought home to me recently when I was talking to a carer at an interactive session I did on 'Stress Management & Relaxation'. He mentioned that he's the full time carer for his wife & he had to leave his job to do this. He says the most exhausting thing about looking after her is he never knows when he'll have his own time & finds it difficult to plan anything as his wife can be taken ill at any time. I've been thinking about the strain this must put on his health & wellbeing as well as the restrictions it must place on his social life.

To this end I've put these 5 self-help suggestions together to help those doing this very valuable job of caring:-

1. It is crucial for the sake of those you care for & also for yourself to take time out. This doesn't have to be for a long time, just a few minutes on your own EVERY DAY would be beneficial. During this time it'd be helpful if you had your eyes closed and listened to yourself breathing. Concentrate on the breathing & when you mind drifts away from your breathing then gently come back to this. Try & do this for at least 5 minutes.

2. When you are able to, listen to the music you used to like. Music helps to bring back memories & relaxes the mind. The person you are caring for may well like this activity too.

3. Don't forget to keep up with your social contacts. This may be difficult to do time wise but it doesn't have to be for long lengthy periods. Just dropping someone a note, which only takes a few minutes whether on-line or hand written, would be wonderful for the person receiving and also for you. You may think your friend/relative doesn't want to hear from you but the person may also be thinking that you're too busy to keep in touch. So go on & make the first move & see what happens.

4. Try not to snatch meals; if possible make an occasion of it by eating slowly & enjoying your food. Your digestive system would be grateful to you!

5. After having a shower/bath spend a little while spreading cream all over your body to refresh & calm yourself. A simple & gentle sweeping actions with your hands would help to relax the nerves. It is best to use a sensitive body lotion.

Hope these suggestions help. If you would like to add some more then please do & I'll post them too. Many thanks.