7 Signs You May Need Respite Care
When you’re caring for a loved one – be it elder care or any kind of assisted living home care – their needs often seem more important than your own. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. If you’re a New Jersey caregiver or New Jersey senior caregiver, neglecting to care for yourself not only diminishes the quality of care you’re able to provide, but also your own quality of life.
Fortunately, you need not choose between the needs of your loved one and your own. With respite care, a professional caregiver can relieve you at times when you need to take care of your own personal responsibilities, or simply need to take a well-deserved break.
Yet as simple and effective as respite care can be, many caregivers have a hard time accepting the fact that they need help. The following are seven sure signs that you probably do.
- Your physical health is suffering. As careful as you are to ensure that your loved one is eating right and getting enough rest, chances are that you’re not doing the same for yourself. Maybe you feel like you don’t have time to eat, or you have no appetite at all. Maybe you get to bed too late to get a full 8 hours, or you get to bed early but have a hard time falling asleep. Whatever the case, poor diet and too little rest can make you sick.
- You’re neglecting your own affairs. If you’re spending all your time managing the life of your loved one, it’s hard to manage your own. After all, there are errands you need to run for yourself and hobbies you want to pursue, neither of which caregiving should force you to neglect.
- Your relationships are suffering. Though caring for a loved one is an honorable thing to do, other people in your life may be paying the price, especially if you are married with children who still live at home. Not only do they miss you when you’re not there, but chances are that when you are around all of your caregiving responsibilities have you tired or preoccupied.
- You’re job performance is suffering. Being a caregiver is a job in itself, so if you work a regular job too, full-time or part-time, you know what a juggling act it can be. And you probably know what it’s like to drop the ball – too tired, stressed or distracted at work to get the job done to its fullest potential.
- You’re stressed out all time. When you’re pushing yourself beyond your limits – not just once in a while, but every single day – stress can become a permanent part of your life, and so can the poor health conditions that inevitably follow.
- You feel guilty or resentful. Setting the bar too high for yourself may result in one of two unfortunate feelings – 1) guilt that you’re not doing enough or 2) resentment that you’re having to do too much – feelings that may flip-flop from one day to the next.
- You’re feeling depressed. Whether you’ve been caring for your loved one for three weeks or three years, depression can easily set in, especially if there is no end in sight.
If any one of these signs sound familiar, do yourself and your loved ones a favor. Consider respite care through an organization like Synergy Homecare for New Jersey caregivers and New Jersey senior caregivers – providing all the respite care you need when it comes to assisted living in home care, from elder care to companionship. Contact them today for your Free Home Assessment.
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