|
§
Caregiving
Information
§ Caregiving
in the workforce. §
Eleven
Reasons Why I Joined a Support Group §
The
Common Bonds of Caregiving §
Caregiver
Tips
§ Support Groups§
Resources
§
General
Information
Barber, Barton,
Clark, Comanche, Edwards, Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Haskell,
Hodgeman, Kearny, Kiowa, Lane, Meade, Morton, Ness, Pawnee, Pratt, Rush,
Scott, Seward, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Wichita |
Caution: Caregiver in Peril
When is it
okay to for a caregiver to throw up their hands and scream “I can’t do this any more unless I
get some help”? How many
caregivers would rather trudge along carrying all the weight on their own
shoulders until finally the weight has become so unbearable that they are
barely crawling along? When is it
time for the caregiver to admit that they have taken on more and more of the
responsibility at the cost of their own health? We all need help sometimes. There is
no shame and should be no feelings of failure to recognize we can’t do
it all. If you
are experiencing any of the following danger signals, you are probably
reaching role overload and should seek assistance from a local support group
or self-help agency: v
No matter what you do, you never feel it is enough. v
You feel you are the only person in the world going through this. v
You have no time for yourself or a place to be alone for even a brief
respite. v
Family relationships are breaking down because of Caregiving
pressures. v
You can not remember the last time you had a restful nights sleep. v
You find yourself feeling overwhelmed or weepy. v
You are having more headaches, colds or other physical
conditions. v
You refuse to think of yourself because “that would be
selfish” (even though you are unselfish 99 percent of the time). v
Your coping methods have become destructive; you are overeating/under
eating, abusing drugs/alcohol or taking it out on your family or care
recipient. v
There are no more happy times; loving and caring have given way to
exhaustion and resentment, and you no longer feel good about yourself or take
pride in what you are doing. Return to Caregiver Information main page. This program is funded in part from a grant through the Older
American’s Act 1965 and Kansas Department of Aging. |
SouthWest Kansas Area Agency on Aging,
Inc.
620-225-8230 • Older Kansan's Hotline 800-742-9531 • Fax: 620-225-8240 • SWKAAA@hotmail.com
Lostski Design Tuesday, June 12, 2007