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Take Care - Part III
By
Tom Quirk |
 Scituate
- While
dutifully attending to the patient’s dietary, medication and
therapy regimens, we caregivers often neglect to consider
our own needs. Previously important healthy meal planning
and exercise, gives way to snacks, coffee and fast food. We
ignore our own needs because we are consumed and exhausted
by our new responsibilities. Sound nutrition and physical
activity are especially important now, because with our
difficult new circumstances, we require healthy reserves to
help us to cope. However, with stress and emotional
overload, we are often fatigued and experience reduced
mental alertness, at the critical point when we should be at
our best.
We consider ourselves to be strong and independent, but we
are not. We wear down and need help, but often won’t ask.
There are many within and beyond the family, who want to
help; we should use them. We should recognize and accept our
limitations and not be embarrassed by asking for it.
Learning to delegate is critical. Lists of all required
tasks are most helpful. Family and friends can accept or
decline to help, only if they are asked. Many community
agencies have professional and volunteer services available.
The caretaking situation presents us with new challenges and
changes our priorities, which disrupts the orderly existence
that we previously had enjoyed. Along with the necessity for
good nutrition, exercise and rest, we can also be facing new
risks, among them alcohol or substance abuse. Be vigilant
for any new habit or need to take the edge off or to relax.
These practices will disrupt your efforts to maintain that
healthy lifestyle of nutrition, exercise and rest, at a time
when you need that routine the most and will divert your
care giving focus and concentration, to the detriment of
your survivor.
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About The
Author
For more information, you may contact Tom Quirk at (781)
545-2300 or via email at tfquirk@ aol.com. For more
information on brain aneurysms, please visit the Brain
Aneurysm Foundation’s web site at www.bafound.org.
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