Caregiving Stressors

"Caregiving may include activities that range from emotional support and companionship to activities of daily living, such as personal hygiene and health care needs.  Caregivers often take on other tasks, including managing finances, scheduling health care related appointments, helping children with educational needs and doing daily chores such as grocery shopping, cooking laundry and home maintenance.  To avoid being overwhelmed by the responsibilities of caregiving, it is important to balance the demands in your life." Mayo Clinic literature

So, how does one balance all of those responsibilities?  One thing that helps is to be aware of the additional stressors in our lives now.  These stressors include:  additional demands and responsibilities, adjustments to our own lifestyle and future plans, routine and unexpected frustrations in the daily life a caregiver, and the personal loss and grief that led to us becoming a caregiver.  We need to address these stressors.  It is NOT selfish to focus on our own needs and desires.