Everywhere you turn, you see the term “self-care” mentioned. What is self-care? Is it something you regularly practice, or do you ignore your own needs and focus on the things your dad has to have? It’s time to take a closer look at self-care and find the right balance.
What Is Self-Care?
Self-care is something you have to do for yourself. It’s a practice where you put your own needs first. You’re not giving up caring for your dad. Instead, you realize that if you’re mentally, emotionally, or physically unwell, you can’t help your dad.
You start to shift your focus to what you need for your well-being. You’re taking care of your physical health by seeing your doctor and dentist, getting exercise, and eating healthy foods. Plus, you take care of your mental and emotional health by venting frustrations, sadness, and irritation in a beneficial way.
Some of the things you can do to help yourself with self-care include taking days off for vacations, going for long walks on your own, and having days where you can sleep in. Self-care involves:
- Enjoying hobbies
- Exploring a nature trail or scenic park
- Lounging at home without having any responsibilities for the day
How Do You Support Your Dad Without Giving Up On Yourself?
You need to take time to take care of yourself, but how do you do that when your dad needs you all day? This is where you have to learn to ask for help.
Reach out to others in your circle of friends or family and ask for help. Come up with a list of times that you need to step away. Every Wednesday afternoon, you might want to attend a family caregivers support group. It might be a few hours off on the weekend to visit friends.
Note the days and hours you need others to help out. Create it on a schedule that you can share with others. Have them look over the open slots and sign up to help out.
You’ll start to find gaps where no one is free to help out. Those are the times you need to arrange respite care services. Let professional caregivers offer the quality care your dad requires while you take the time off that you need.
Respite care services enable you to take time off when needed. With caregivers helping your dad throughout the month, you’ll have days where you can take time off to focus on yourself. Call an elder care agency and ask to talk to a specialist about the availability of services.
If you are considering the help of respite care in Sacramento, CA, contact the caring staff at A Better Living Home Care today! (916) 514-7006
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