When you are a Dallas caregiver for an aging or chronically ill loved one, you experience a broad range of emotions, challenges and rewards on a regular basis. In our experience, there’s hardly an emotion that does NOT come into play at some point during caregiving – and sometimes, the majority of those emotions can happen all within the span of a day. Perhaps one of the most difficult feelings to manage, however, is guilt; feeling as though you should be doing more for your loved one and less for yourself.
If you’re struggling with feelings of caregiver guilt, here are 3 simple tips to keep in mind:
- Avoid isolation. Articulating your feelings to a trustworthy friend, relative, or professional counselor is very important in order to see the situation from a more objective angle and to release the weight of all of those feelings.
- Write it down. Keeping track of your thoughts and feelings in a journal is therapeutic in and of itself, but also provides the benefit of being able to read back over your writings and learn from your experiences. Don’t just write about the negative feelings. Also include positive comments. This can raise your spirits on days when you really need it.
- Listen to others who have been there. While well-meaning friends and family may have lots of input on how you should or should not be feeling, nothing beats the advice of someone who’s walked a mile in your shoes. Discovering a support group of other Dallas caregivers, in particular, a support group that contains loved ones sharing a similar diagnosis, can make life a lot easier.
Looking for more Dallas caregiving resources? Contact Heaven at Home Senior Care in the Dallas Metroplex area for information and let us help you explore the benefits of in-home respite care.