Caring for an aging loved one or someone with a long-term illness or disability is no easy task. It requires a great deal of your time and energy to assist them with medical and everyday activities. The daily care necessity also involves keeping thorough progress notes, which help keep track of the patient’s health journey. Keeping a record of these notes can help the caregiver provide consistent care and aid healthcare professionals in the patient’s treatment. The added responsibility can result in physical and emotional exhaustion. Although more adverse symptoms experienced by caregivers should be addressed with a doctor or therapist, sometimes all you need is a little break.
Why Not Take A Trip?
As a family caretaker, you’re always on call. Your days are filled with monotonous yet tedious tasks to ensure the well-being of your loved one. Taking a break can give you the time and space you need to focus on yourself while replenishing your mind and body. Why not plan a much-needed vacation? Though it may seem impossible, there are practical ways to pull it off. Continue reading for tips.
Start With Family
The first place you should turn to when planning a trip is your family. They’re your support system and may be willing to lend a helping hand with your caretaking responsibilities. As being a caregiver is an overwhelming task, it’s best to break things up. Your siblings might volunteer to check on them daily, go grocery shopping, and prepare meals while you’re away. Your aunt or uncle could agree to spend the night or assist with medical care.
Consider Outside Help
If you don’t have any relatives you can turn to or the person you’re caring for has extensive needs, it may be best to seek outside help. You could pay another caregiver, hire a long-term home health aide, or look for an agency that offers long-term ADL care? What is ADL? Short for activities of daily living. The services can include personal hygiene, grooming, eating, home maintenance, money management, and more.
If you decide that outside help is best, you must do your homework. Not everyone is equipped or qualified to care for the sick, disabled, or elderly. Complete an online search to find service providers in the area, review their background and conduct an interview to ensure they’re the right fit.
Don’t Travel Too Far
As you’re likely aware, things can pop up at any moment that requires your immediate attention. Although you’ve entrusted your loved ones to people you trust, sometimes your presence is needed. If you’ve traveled too far away, getting to your relative may not be an easy task. Vacationing in a nearby town or state is ideal, just in case, something goes wrong.
Complete Major Tasks In Advance
Make things easier for everyone by ensuring you’ve taken care of major tasks before your trip. For example, you can have prescriptions filled, take them for medical appointments, stock the kitchen, and clean the house.
Incorporate Wellness Activities
Now that you’ve gotten your loved one taken care of, it’s time to start planning the details of your trip. As the main objective is to focus on your needs, incorporating wellness activities is a good idea. Some examples might include getting a massage, spa treatments, going to the gym, swimming in the pool, taking a walk or hiking through nature, or simply catching up on sleep.
Make Time For Fun
Your trip doesn’t have to be all about rest and relaxation. You can also take time just to have some fun. When’s the last time you did something that made you laugh or feel happy? Now is the time to indulge a little bit. Consider your favorite activities or hobbies or new things you’d like to try as you make a list of activities to get into on your trip.
There’s no denying you love your family member. That’s why you go to such great lengths to care for them. Be that as it may, sometimes, caring for others can cause you to neglect yourself. As such, caregivers need to take periodic breaks. Going on a mini-vacation could be just what you need to recenter and enjoy life.
