Caregiving is a very important role and also a very challenging one.
The process of caring for a loved one is draining both mentally and physically, and caregivers often have to struggle to get everything done.
At the same time, caregivers may face additional stress and demands from other sources, such as family, work or financial issues.
These issues make caregiving a complex area.
On the one hand, caregiving is a burden, something that costs the caregiver financially and emotionally. On the other hand, caregivers are typically taking care of a loved one, so the task does have some emotional rewards.
While caregiving has many challenges, one of the biggest is the area of self-care.
This refers to the way that a caregiver cares for himself or herself.
It is a very important area because the mental and physical strength of the caregiver plays a key role in the care that they are able to provide.
Yet, the caregiver’s own needs are one of the first things that get given up.
It’s not hard to see why, especially as caregivers are so limited in their time and often in their resources.
For example, many caregivers report issues of:
- Sleep deprivation
- Lack of exercise
- Poor decisions about food
- Not seeing a doctor when necessary
- Often working when they are sick, rather than taking the time to get better
- Little to no social contact
So, at the end of the day caregivers really do need to take care of themselves.
In fact, if you ignore your own health too long, you may end up getting sick – and that isn’t helpful for anyone.
This is why caregiver personal care items are so important.
These items might be big or small, but they are things that can help a caregiver to cope with the challenges they face.
In this post, I highlight some of the key ways that caregivers can take care of themselves, along with some caregiver personal care items that can help them do just that.
Even if you don’t have a lot of time or money – as a caregiver you must pay attention to your own health. That includes mental health as well as physical.
So, take a few moments to look at the items that I talk about and that I show.
The links are all affiliate links, so I would appreciate the support. However, you can always look up the items yourself if you would rather not click on the affiliate link.
And please, let me know if you think I’ve missed anything.
Treat Yourself
Having a treat now and again is a very important thing. This is something that helps people to de-stress and to feel a bit better about themselves.
For some people, the idea of treating themselves can seem difficult.
I’ve personally known a number of people who are very responsible with their money and shy away from buying anything that they don’t need. They might be able to justify a present for someone else on occasion, but never for themselves.
This mentality is especially common if you are poor because it’s easy to think of dozens of places where that same money would be better spent.
Yet, even just a small treat can have tremendous power.
For example, if you have a bath, then a bath bomb or bubble bath might be a good way to go. That type of treat also has the advantage of giving you a little time on your own to relax.
Even if you just have a shower, some nice smelling shower gel or soap can make a surprising difference to your day.
With a treat, it’s important to consider what you actually want and what you enjoy.
After all, there are some pretty major differences between people – so a treat for someone else mightn’t be a treat for you.
For example, a treat for some people might be a new magazine or a new music CD. For others, it could be a movie or even a figurine for around the house.
Even if you don’t have much money, there are many options for treats that can make you feel a little bit better.
Any treat serves as an important reminder too. Caregiving is a challenging task, and no-one is ever perfect at it. But, you are taking the time and energy to care for someone else and that is a very valuable role. So, regardless of how you feel, you are amazing, and a treat can be one way of remembering that.
Take Some Time Out
Having some time to yourself is another important part of self-care.
For one thing, this gives you the time to focus on your own needs.
Additionally, taking time for yourself means that you can relax and not focus on what anyone else needs.
For many caregivers, finding time to themselves isn’t easy.
An ideal solution would be to go on holiday for a week or even just a weekend. If you can realistically do this, then it is a good idea, because it takes you out of your stress-filled environment altogether.
You may well be able to find a friend or a family member who is able to take over your role for that short period of time.
If this isn’t an option, there are other things you can do that just take you out of the home for a few hours.
What about going to the movies with a friend or getting your nails done?
Even something like going for a swim once or twice a week can be a great way to get some time to yourself (and get some physical activity while you are at it).
In fact, anything that takes you out of the house can be a great option because caregiving can be such an isolating role. Many people find that they simply don’t make social connections, especially as they rarely have the time to do anything.
But, taking the time to go out from time to time is important – even if it seems impossible to find the time.
If getting out really is an unrealistic goal in your case, the next option is to find time for yourself around the home,
This needs to be some time where you can be undisturbed – or at least when disturbances are unlikely.
For example, what about sitting down with a romantic comedy, some chocolates (like the ones below), and maybe a glass of wine?
Another example is just sitting down with a good book.
Books can be a fantastic idea because they can transport you away from the stress and the struggle of day-to-day life. Plus, there really are so many different options for books that you can read.
Zone Out and De-Stress
Stress can be a challenging part of life for anybody. That is particularly true for caregivers because they experience such a significant amount of stress.
Many of the caregiver personal care items that I’ve talked about so far will help you to decrease stress, but there are also some specific items that can be even more effective.
One very interesting area is adult coloring books.
These have become very popular recently, and they are basically coloring books that contain complex designs that can hold the attention of adults. For example, the image below shows a popular adult coloring book called Secret Garden.
One of the reasons behind the popularity of these books is that they are great stress relievers. After all, coloring those fine details takes time and concentration, so it’s easy to get lost in the process.
This can also be a good option for caregivers because the coloring is something that you can put down or pick up easily. That lets you respond easily to any issues that occur.
There are many other options within the adult coloring book category, like this one here:
One more simple option for managing stress is to use something like a stress ball. Many people do find that having something in their hands helps to manage stress. Just be a little careful, most stress balls will break if you squeeze too hard. So, if you are a bit aggressive when stressed, that might not be the best option.
Another cool option for stress is tangle products, like the one below. This is another thing that you can play with in your hands. This type of product tends to be less likely to break than a stress ball too, which is a good thing for many people.
This is a personal thing really. Some people do certainly benefit from having something in their hands to fiddle with. On the other hand, this type of product does nothing for other people.
Finding Your Own Solutions
There are many examples of caregiver personal care items out there – and there are many areas that I haven’t even touched on in this post.
For caregivers, one of the most important steps is simply understanding the significance of self-care, and the role that it can play in your own mental and physical health.
Self-care is easy to ignore and many people end up feeling guilty when they do put aside time for their own needs. Yet, to be effective as a caregiver and to be okay as a person, self-care really is a critical area.
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