Home Care: 5 Misconceptions About Self-Care for Family Caregivers
Home Care: Self-care is defined as the “practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s health.”
This includes mental, physical, and emotional health. It seems so simple, yet self-care is often pushed to the background by family caregivers. Home Care services providers can offer respite time so you can realize some self-care.
Home Care in Ardmore PA: Self Care
If you’re a family caregiver, you get it. You’re so focused on ensuring your parents get the best possible care that you ignore yourself. It’s not a good habit to get into. Self-care is essential. Here are five misconceptions that family caregivers often believe.
Self-Care Is Selfish
Your parents need your help. If you are taking care of yourself and ignoring them, it’s selfish. It’s not.
So many family caregivers fall for this “self-care is selfish” belief. You have to think about the other angle. If you are taking care of them so much that you ignore your own needs, what happens when you burn out? You have no energy left to give them, so what happens now?
What if your health changes? Can you risk your health caring for your parents? Of course not. That’s why self-care is crucial.
Trips to the Doctor Are Enough
Another common misconception is that you see your doctor each year, so that’s good enough. A yearly doctor’s appointment will catch your general health, but it may not catch emotional or mental health issues.
Mental and emotional health thrive best when you are socially active and engaged in things you enjoy. It would help if you had time for hobbies, nights out, and other fun activities. Join a support group for family caregivers to make sure you have others to talk to.
Any Food is Better Than No Food
When you’re a family caregiver, it’s easy to get so busy that there’s no time left to make something healthy for yourself. You leave your parents and have to pick up your kids from school events, walk the dog, and do housework at your house. There’s no time to cook a meal, so you pick up fast food.
You may get protein, but you’re also eating foods that are high in sodium and saturated fat. You’re not getting the fresh vegetables you need. It will impact your health over time.
Home Care: Stress Can’t Harm You
Stress can harm you. It doesn’t just disappear if you ignore it and keep overwhelming yourself. Studies have shown that people who experience chronic stress can have anxiety attacks, become depressed, and even find that excessive stress impacts their heart health.
Home Care: It’s Impossible to Take Breaks
One of the biggest misconceptions that family members have is that family caregivers can’t take breaks. Your parents may need your help 24/7, but you can hire home care services to ensure someone is with your parents while you take a few hours or days off.
It’s easy to arrange respite care and take a break. Do so by calling a home care specialist today. Ask about the prices for respite care services.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care in Ardmore, PA, please contact the friendly staff at Suma Home Care. (484) 206-4544
Ibrahim recently completed a Professional Certificate in Management; He is currently pursuing a Masters in Business Administrations (MBA) at a prestigious university in the UK.
With their passion for helping others and a strong background in customer services and clinical care, Ibrahim and his wife started assisting individuals in their homes.
Since started and operating Suma Home Care in 2010 in the basement of their home, Suma Home Care has provided professionals who work endlessly in providing clients with the highest quality of care, while enabling clients to maintain dignity, comfort and safety in their homes.
Suma Home Care, serves four counties in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia. Ibrahim is firmly connected to his local community and is always looking for ways to give back whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Ibrahim enjoys spending time with his wife and children, travelling and enjoys sports.
Mariama Suma-Keita BSN RN
Born in Sierra Leone west Africa, relocated to America in 1999 from a civil war and settled since in the U.S.A as a Naturalized citizen Graduated from National school of nursing with an associate , and completed BSN in Nursing from Immaculata University graduated with Honor roll Alpha Lambda sigma, After escaping the war served as a refugee nurse in Gambia and Guinea to other displaced refugees before coming to America.
In the states started in Homecare then then transition into hospital, worked in Jefferson hospital as a Registered nurse on Tele and general medsurg floor, also worked in Einstein hospital as an oncology transplant nurse , I realized that I enjoy working with patients so much and believe in quality and compassionate care one at a time dealing with an holistic approach in caring for patients and family in a familiar environment called home , I see the impact and progress when they’re home , it makes them feel relax and progress fast with recovering at home. As a nurse and entrepreneur I understand that dedication to meeting people and families needs is a priority, and able to foster relationships with family and patients that is professional and friendly to help them stay and settled home as a desire.
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