Most caregivers are so devoted to caring for their loved one that they don't have much time to care for themselves. It's a natural impulse that's as noble as it is self-defeating. A study by the federal Department of Health and Human Services found that more than 30 percent of those caring for seniors aged 65 and older described their own health as "fair to poor." Other researchers have found that caregivers use prescription drugs for depression, anxiety, and insomnia two to three times as often as the rest of the population.
Being a successful caregiver is not that much different from being an athlete: you should allow yourself time to recover from your efforts. You need to periodically give yourself a good night's sleep, a relaxed meal, and a change of scenery. In turn, you'll feel better, you'll have more energy, and you'll make better decisions.
These breaks could be as simple as having a friend or relative take over your responsibilities for a few hours while you see a movie or go out to dinner. But longer breaks are also needed to provide the kind of thorough renewal caregivers need to restore their physical and mental equilibrium. For breaks of several days to several weeks, you may be able to arrange for your loved one to stay at a nearby assisted living community.
