Caregivers, Take Care: How To Keep Your Caregiving Duties From Overwhelming You

(NAPSI)—Caregiving for a loved one can be a fulfilling, yet overwhelming experience. Forty million Americans provide care for their aging loved one each year, and spend an average of 24.4 hours per week doing so. Try as one may to create a balanced lifestyle, it’s a role that easily crowds out other important areas of life, including personal and professional relationships, and generates high levels of stress that could lead to serious health problems long-term if not managed.

Caregivers should feel empowered to adopt the following tactics to lighten the burden, and achieve a renewed sense of control:

Remember your own health: It’s important to not lose sight of your physical and mental health during particularly stressful times. Improve your energy level with smart eating choices: plan easy, healthy recipes that take less than 30 minutes, schedule grocery deliveries, or subscribe to meal kits. And, committing to just 10 minutes a day of moving your body will help you feel energized, while boosting your mental health. Exercise is also a good way to engage with your loved one—join them for a walk or even a water aerobics class.

Be transparent with your employer about your role as a caregiver: Burning the midnight oil to meet your caregiver and professional responsibilities doesn’t do you, your loved one, or your career any favors. Speaking candidly about the pressures you face as a caregiver with your employer can help relieve stress in the long run. Discuss options such as flexible work hours or working remotely, and set realistic expectations for yourself.

Leverage technology: Utilize tools that offer you visibility into your loved one’s health status and simplify the complexities of coordinating care. These solutions allow you to refocus your attention on the key moments that matter most with your loved ones, while offering the peace of mind of knowing your loved one will have 24/7 access to help. For example, Philips Cares is a mobile application that enables you to easily form and activate a care circle of trusted family and friends, access meaningful insights into your loved one’s wellbeing, and manage your Philips Lifeline personal alert service. It helps you and your care circle be there for your aging loved ones, easing and enriching their aging journey.

To learn more about the latest technology helping to ease caregivers’ burdens, visit https://philips.to/2MGDqLm or call (855) 223-7395

 “The Philips Cares mobile application lets you easily form and activate a care circle, access insights into your loved one’s well-being, and manage your Philips Lifeline personal alert service. http://bit.ly/2JoJuaz”

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Note For The Editor: November marks National Family Caregivers Month