A Caregiver is someone who has the difficult task of caring for a child, adolescent, adult, or elderly person who is ill or disabled. The caregiver may be a family member, friend, or paid professional. He will have the responsibility of taking care of the basic daily needs of the sick individual because he is in a state of dependency. The caregiver has a complex job, which influences his emotional health, and he must be attentive to his feelings and mental health in order to remain balanced in the task at hand. The key is to know perfectly the problem they are facing themselves, in order to apply healthy solutions.
Difficulties a caregiver may face
As the caregiver carries out his task, he is likely to face various difficulties due to the complexity of his or her work. Dependent sick and disabled individuals demand exclusive dedication throughout the day. They go through various moods and may sometimes feel sad, angry, frustrated, and hopeless, among other negative emotions. Logically, this context has a negative impact on the caregiver’s emotional health, which is why he is likely to experience the following difficulties.
-Feeling absolutely overwhelmed by the delicate situation in which the patient finds himself.
-Poor quality of sleep, sleeping too little or too much.
-Poor nutrition, eating too much or too little.
-Feeling excessive tiredness most of the time.
-Beginning to consume alcohol in excess or to exceed in the intake of prescribed psychotropic drugs.
-Getting irritable easily.
-Losing interest in activities that were previously enjoyed.
-Generalized lack of motivation.
-High level of stress that lasts over time, which can lead to worse disorders such as depression or generalized anxiety.
As can be seen, the emotional health of the caregiver is negatively affected. In addition, the caregiver is likely to eat poorly, sleep poorly and lead a sedentary life. In the medium term, he may suffer from diabetes, heart disease, and severe sleep disorders.
Strategies to protect emotional health
Being a caregiver is a mentally, physically, and emotionally demanding job. The job presents many challenges, but fortunately, there are tools to help caregivers maintain a healthy balance while performing their job. Here are some strategies for caregivers to protect their overall health.
-The caregiver must prioritize himself, if he does not take care of himself, he will not be able to take care of others.
-Attend a support group geared exclusively for caregivers. Several hospitals and even churches offer group, psychological support groups, exclusively for caregivers. There everyone understands the situation of a caregiver, so they will know how to understand and support him psychologically.
-The caregiver should encourage social activity, within his possibilities. He should keep in touch with family and friends for affective support. Even if it means going for a walk with a friend to have a pleasant conversation. Everything is valid if the intention is to feel good.
-Maintain a healthy routine. The CAREGIVER deserves to protect his overall health. He should establish a daily routine of eating well, being physically active and getting seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
-Accept help for the benefit of the caregiver and the ill patient. If the CAREGIVER is unable to carry out an excessively difficult task, it is advisable to accept help from others so that he does not harm his health. In the same way, the patient receives the care he/she needs.
-Consult the doctor in case of any doubt. The caregiver should keep healthy, so he should not avoid the corresponding medical consultations and should perform the tests that he orders.
-The caregiver should value the work he/she does since he/she is giving the best of himself to make others feel better. The caregiver should not over-demand himself because he should prioritize his emotional health above all else.
Conclusion
Protecting the emotional health of a caregiver is a fundamental point for him to perform his work in a harmonious way, taking care of himself without getting overwhelmed in front of a complex situation. For more help on Caregiver’s emotional health visit Wisdom Senior care. The caregiver should focus on how rewarding this work can be since he is performing an altruistic task by improving the life of another human being. The key is to prioritize integral health in order to maintain a healthy balance.