Released October 23, 2008
CRESTON, Iowa - Taking care of aging relatives or other loved ones with special needs is an important job that more and more of Iowans are doing. Our population is aging and our elders are staying in their homes longer, according to Beverly Berna, Family Life Specialist for Iowa State University Extension. Many adult children, spouses, siblings and neighbors are taking care of loved ones in their homes. Caregivers need to take care of themselves to continue to be effective support for their loved one.
Here are four messages to live by if you are a Family Caregiver. You can use these as guideposts in your search for direction and inner peace about your care giving situation.
Family Caregivers
1. Choose to take charge of your life. Don't let your loved one's illness or disability always take center stage. We fall into care giving often because of an unexpected event, but somewhere along the line you need to step back and consciously say, "I choose to take on this care giving role." It goes a long way toward eliminating the feeling of being a victim.
2. Honor, value and love yourself. You're doing a very hard job and you deserve some quality time, just for your. Self care isn't a luxury. It's a necessity. Self care isn't a luxury. It is your right as a human being. Step back and recognize just how extraordinary you are, and remember your own good health is the very best present you can give your loved one.
3. Seek, accept, and at times demand help. Don't be ashamed to ask for help. When people offer assistance, accept it and suggest specific things that they can do. Care giving, especially at its most intense levels, is definitely more than a one person job. Asking for help is a sign of your strength and an acknowledgment of your abilities and your limitations.
4. Stand up and be counted. Stand up for your rights as a caregiver and a citizen. Recognize that care giving comes on top of being a parent, a child, a spouse. Honor your care giving role and speak up for your well-deserved recognition and rights. Become your own advocate, both within your own immediate care giving sphere and beyond.
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