Five Ways to Ease Back from the Brink of Compassion Fatigue
When you give and give and give of your time and of yourself, you edge closer and closer to something called compassion fatigue. This is something that you can’t ignore because it will only continue to grow. Eventually it might even pull you away from being able to be there for your aging family member. There are steps you can take, though.
Find Something Else to Do
Very often family caregivers have stopped doing anything that doesn’t revolve around caregiving and their aging family member. Any hobbies or extraneous activities fall by the wayside because of the demands that caregiving makes on both time and energy. It’s vital that you revisit some of the other things that you used to do.
Write out Your Feelings
Writing out what you’re feeling helps to put it into perspective a little bit easier. You might find it difficult at first to write down what you’re feeling, especially if you’ve very carefully not been examining your emotions. But it’s important to get in there and get real with yourself. No emotion is inherently bad or wrong. They do need to be examined, though.
Figure Out Where You Can Make Some Changes
If you’re experiencing compassion fatigue, that means that there are some changes you need to make, whether you realize it or not. Look first at what isn’t working in your daily schedule or in other aspects of your life. Do you need more sleep? More time to plan healthy meals? These are all excellent places to start.
Learn Some New Coping Methods
Coping mechanisms are tools that you use to make your life easier to manage. Some coping methods are ones you don’t think about, like drinking down more caffeine than usual when you’re tired and busy. Positive coping mechanisms, like eating healthy meals and exercising regularly, are ones that give you the results you need without creating additional problems.
Find a Way to Get Some Hands-on Help
One of the biggest causes of overwhelm and ultimately compassion fatigue for caregivers is the sheer volume of work that needs to be done. You have got to find ways to get extra help for yourself and for your aging family member. The easiest way to do this is through hiring home care providers. There’s a much simpler learning curve and you’ll have help exactly when you need it.
The sooner that you do something about compassion fatigue the better. You can’t ignore it out of existence because it only gets worse. You need to put a plan into place and then make sure you follow it.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering Home Care in Warner Robins GA please contact the caring staff at Angels of Mercy Private Homecare Services, Inc. today at 478-745-5111.
Angels of Mercy Private Homecare has been providing in-home care services since 2002 throughout the Macon and Middle Georgia Area.
Angels of Mercy Private Homecare Services provides in-home care that improves the lives of the clients. Our services help them maintain the highest possible level of independent living. We provide In-home private duty care and care management services for seniors throughout the Middle Georgia area.
Our CNA (certified nursing aides), caregiver, and companion services allow our clients to age in the place where they feel most comfortable and secure - at home. Combine our Home Care Services, with our Geriatric Care Management component, and we provide the most comprehensive assistance for the Middle Georgia areas seniors.
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