| Do you, like many other Baby Boomers, now find | | | | than children. They also feel torn between their own |
| yourself caring for aging parents or other older | | | | needs for work, vacations, privacy, hobbies, or friends |
| relatives or friends who have health problems, | | | | and feelings of guilt, resentment, or even depression or |
| disabilities, or the need for assistance with daily tasks | | | | martyrdom. Both aging parents and caregiver children |
| such as bathing, dressing, and eating? If so, you are | | | | lose independence and privacy. Even the most |
| part of one fourth of American families who are caring | | | | congenial relationships can suffer from these loses. |
| for an older family member, an adult child with | | | | Here are some recommendations to help you take |
| disabilities, or a friend. According to the AARP, you are | | | | care of your own health:o Eat a healthy diet and drink |
| one of more than 22.4 million Americans who are now | | | | plenty of water. Avoid sugars, fats, and salt. Include |
| caregivers to older adults, a number that has tripled in | | | | plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Follow the |
| the last 10 years alone. The average amount of time | | | | guidelines of the government's food pyramid for |
| these Americans spend on caregiving is about 20 | | | | proper amounts and food types to include in your daily |
| hours per week with many of these hours spent in | | | | menu. Take a good multivitamin for extra protection.o |
| physically demanding work. With the life spans raising | | | | Get plenty of rest and sleep, even if you have to enlist |
| over the past century from 49 -77, some children are | | | | help to care for your parents while you rest. Spend |
| actually caring for invalid parents 20 years, longer than | | | | some time unwinding and relaxing during the day as |
| the parents spent raising them. | | | | well.o Get regular, healthy exercise at least three days |
| I would like to ask you a question? How is your own | | | | a week. Regular exercise not only reduces stress and |
| personal health? One third of caregivers describe their | | | | improves health, but also produces endorphins, which |
| personal health as fair to poor, and many worry that | | | | add to a good feeling mood.o Keep your own health |
| they won't outlive the person for whom they are | | | | care up to date, including yearly checkups. If you |
| caring. As you and other caregivers struggle to | | | | experience negative feelings, get counseling from |
| balance caregiving with other responsibilities, including | | | | doctor or therapist, or share your feelings with good |
| full-time jobs and caring for children, constant stress | | | | friends.o Speaking of friends, keep your social life |
| can lead to "burnout" and health problems. You may | | | | active in order to stay connected with your community |
| feel guilty, frustrated, and angry from time to time, | | | | and to give an outlet for stress. Seek comfort and |
| suffer from depression, and become ill easily yourself. | | | | support in your faith-based group as well.o Remember |
| Caring for even the most beloved parents can seem | | | | you are not alone. Seek support groups for caregivers, |
| like a burden when your own health collapses from | | | | especially if you are caring for a loved one with a |
| endless hours of caring for their needs. | | | | disease. Look online for government or state |
| For example, caring for a parent with Alzheimer's | | | | supported groups and help departments. Find |
| disease (AD) or other kinds of dementia at home can | | | | community support groups.o Make arrangements for |
| be overwhelming. The caregiver must cope with | | | | your own vacations and retreats, for regrouping and |
| declining abilities and difficult behaviors that affect even | | | | refreshing yourself, your spouse, and your own |
| basic activities of daily living and often become hard to | | | | children. Remember, you are not the only one affected |
| manage for both the care receiver and the caregiver. | | | | by your live-in parent situation. Your entire family |
| As the disease worsens, the care receiver usually | | | | experiences changes and stresses along with you. |
| needs 24-hour care. | | | | Arrange for someone to stay with your parent and |
| In addition to the constant care required, caregivers of | | | | spend some time as a family away from home and |
| parents with this type of problem also suffer from the | | | | those extra responsibilities.o Remind yourself of the |
| emotional pain of losing communication with parents | | | | care that your parent lavished on you as a child and |
| who no longer recognize them. To sustain this, and | | | | how you felt about that parent then. Often, we get so |
| other types of prolonged stress and care, you need to | | | | busy that we forget how much we really love our |
| call upon other family members, friends, and neighbors | | | | parents, especially in the throes of caring for them. Try |
| for help. If other caregivers aren't available to fill in, | | | | to revisit happier days with them and remind both |
| respite care services may be available in the | | | | them and yourself of those times. Bring out family |
| community to help you. Respite care can be a good | | | | pictures and relive happy days together. |
| way for you to get a break (respite) from constant | | | | If you are a caregiver, remember to care for your |
| caregiving. | | | | own health as well as that of your loved one. Seek |
| Some caregivers are still raising their own children and | | | | comfort, help, time to refresh yourself, and regular |
| feel torn between the needs of their children and the | | | | exercise to ensure that you will remain able to give |
| needs of their parents. In fact, in this day of small | | | | that care and still maintain your personal wellness. |
| families, many Americans may have more parents | | | | Copyright 2006 Dr. |