New Caregiver Ways 2018 - #1

​Incorporating the Practice of "Recharge" and "Rest"
​into Each Day

The secret to surviving long term caregiving is to pace yourself, allowing for your body to rest so that you're recharged to continue caring while your giving.  

Caregiving is a marathon, not a sprint. Being constantly exhausted and stressed may cause significant health issues for the caregiver.  ​​​​Too many family caregivers feel like this. It’s not your fault that you can’t get everything done – you need help! Taking care of an older adult just isn’t something one person can do alone while maintaining your health, humor and sanity.  At Next Step we believe “It Takes a Village” to care for an aging loved one.  Here are some survival tips that we encourage you to embrace for 2018.

Laugh More!
I love the verse from the bible that reads, “A joyful heart is good medicine, and a broken spirit dries up the bones.”  Some research indicates that the benefits of laughter go well beyond the ever-important fun factor. Laughter may be...

• a blood-pressure reducer
• an immune-system booster
• a stress buster
• a friend maker
• portable, immediate and inexpensive therapy
• a way to recharge the battery of your soul because it creates perspective to remind us of the bigger picture.  

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​Because we’re serious adults with responsibilities and bills and meetings, it’s sometimes hard to REMEMBER to loosen up with a load of laughter now and then (I am preaching to the choir here).  Take note of what makes you laugh and who makes you smile, and spend time doing those things or with those people. Grab a cup of coffee with your fun-loving co-worker. Spend memory-making playtime with the grand kids. Call up your goofy cousin. Social bonds and the benefits of laughter are well worth the effort. For 2018, I am committing to increasing my daily laughter dosage…its just what the doctor ordered!

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