Being a family caregiver
There are five things to keep in mind:
- If you are looking after your loved one at the Hospice, get support from the staff and volunteers there. If you’re at home, ask for help and support from friends and family around you.
- Make sure you get rest and sleep, whenever you can
- Make sure that you eat and drink properly and at regular intervals
- Try to find a space to get some quiet time.
- Talk to others about what you’re going through as a caregiver
Asking for support
Asking for support, even if it’s just talking to someone as a sounding board, makes good sense to most people. But it’s easy get caught up in thinking that asking for support, help or advice makes you a bit inadequate. You shouldn’t feel inadequate because, “asking for help means you’re wise, not weak.”
Family, friends and neighbours might be willing to help at home. You may have a dog which needs walking; a school run to do, and you need food, drinks and fresh clothes for yourself and your loved one. Often people will be pleased to help if you ask them.
When should you rest?
Your loved one needs you to be as fresh and alert as possible, so you can care properly for them. To an extent, within the limits of their illness, if you’re relaxed, so are they. Try to get your rest when your loved one rests – at this stage they will be sleeping more and more. You can also ask visitors to leave, so you can both sleep. Or ask friends or family to give you a break so that you can get some rest.
IMPORTANT
Try to get your rest when your loved one rests, so you can be as fresh and alert as possible when caring for them.
What about eating and drinking properly?
You can be so focused on helping your loved one to eat and drink that you lose track of your own needs. Remember that regular food helps you to keep going. You could ask family to bring in a nice meal for you. The Cafés at the Hospice has food and it’s open 24/7 to families staying there.
Can you talk about what you’re going through as family caregiver?
Sometimes family caregivers feel as though part of their ‘role’ is to shield other people from the sad news about your loved one. This leads to people keeping their worries and concerns to themselves and struggling on, but this can make things worse. The trouble is, the burden of care can build up. This may mean you become more stressed and less patient, with your loved one and everyone else.
Our advice is to share the burden: see if others can help you find practical solutions. If you are looking after your loved one, you can think out about talking with the counsellors or the Chaplaincy team who are based at the Hospice in Pembury.
Visit www.hospiceintheweald.org.uk to find out more about all the services available to Hospice in the Weald patients, their families and carers.