The challenges and conflicts family caregivers experience can take a toll on their mental and emotional health. If you’re ambivalent about your role as a family caregiver, you could develop insomnia, burnout, anxiety, and depression. However, managing ambivalence can reduce the stress you might be experiencing. Here are some of the things family caregivers can do to avoid feelings of ambivalence.
Accept Your Feelings
Caregivers will likely experience different emotions at different times, and accepting these feelings can make them easier to manage. Keep in mind you’re sacrificing a lot of your life to provide high-quality care for your loved one, so the switch from positive to negative emotions is normal.
The emotions you experience typically reflect how you’re feeling at that moment, but these feelings don’t define your overall caregiving experience. For example, giving your loved one a bath may be a difficult task, but taking him or her out for social activities could be a great experience. When you learn to accept the various emotions, you can manage your ambivalence better.
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Review Your Caregiving Tactics
You might need to evaluate the way you take on your role as a family caregiver. Ask yourself if you’re receiving enough emotional support and assistance from other family members. Go over your schedule to determine if there are some changes that need to be made.
When you’ve developed good caregiving tactics, you can become less reactive and more comfortable with your caregiver role and responsibilities. You should also consider limiting the number of tasks you do and learn to say no from time to time, as this could alleviate feelings of anger, sadness, and hostility.
Engage in Favorite Activities
When you keep your emotions bottled up inside, your physical, mental, and emotional health could be negatively impacted. It’s important to participate in activities and hobbies you enjoyed prior to becoming a caregiver. For example, if you enjoyed working out, you should go to the gym regularly to process your emotions through physical exertion.
Pursuing favorite activities gives you the ability to release the mixed emotions you may be experiencing. When family caregivers take a break from their caregiving duties, they can let their emotions out in a healthy way and reduce negative feelings.
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Make Time to Relax
When you’re experiencing caregiver ambivalence, the last thing you’re likely thinking about is getting rest. However, relaxation is the best way to put your feelings into perspective. Regardless of whether you’re feeling overjoyed or overwhelmed, you need to take some time away from your caregiving duties or the activities that are impacting your mixed emotions.
Family caregivers who take time to practice yoga or take walks can clear their minds and prevent burnout. It’s also a good idea to take extended time away to manage personal affairs, catch up on rest, or go on vacation with family and friends.
Hiring a professional home care agency is one of the best ways to take a break from your caregiving duties to relax, de-stress, and avoid negative emotions. The type of home care Livingston seniors need can vary. Some need assistance a few hours a day, while others require more extensive around-the-clock assistance. At Assisting Hands Home Care, we tailor our care plans based on each senior’s individual care needs, and the plans can be adjusted at any time. We are a trusted provider of respite and 24-hour care, and we also offer specialized Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, and stroke care for seniors. For reliable in-home care services, contact us today.
