Caregiver Stress: Don’t Forget Self-Care

source: Mayo Clinic

Family caregivers often try to do everything themselves. But to be a good caregiver, you must first take good care of yourself.

Maybe you take care of your spouse, who’s in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Or you’ve been tending to the needs of your mother since she was diagnosed with cancer. Perhaps your child was born with a lifelong condition requiring specialized care.

Whatever the circumstances, family caregivers tend to have at least one thing in common: They forget to take care of themselves.

While caring for those you love is important, and can be meaningful, caregiving is stressful work. It can be exhausting, both physically and emotionally. If you don’t take good care of yourself, you won’t have the energy to care for others.