Juggling care for elderly parents and children can be stressful.
If your days are overflowing with working, parenting, managing a home, taking care of elderly parents, and attempting to fit time in for yourself while nurturing other relationships, welcome to the sandwich generation! Made up of those ages 35 – 54 who are “sandwiched” between meeting the needs of both children at home and elderly parents, it will not come as a shock to you that this demographic of individuals is dealing with higher levels of stress than almost any other, with up to 40 percent reporting extreme amounts of stress.
Katherine Nordal, PhD, executive director for professional practice, American Psychological Association, explains, “It’s not surprising that so many people in that age group are experiencing stress. The worry of your parents’ health, and your children’s well-being as well as the financial concern of putting kids through college and saving for your own retirement is a lot to handle.”
It’s important to make a plan to decrease stress levels, as long-term stress could lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and other significant health problems. Furthermore, stress can carry over and affect the loved ones you’re working so hard to care for.
At-Home Care Company, a trusted provider of home care in Des Moines, IA and the surrounding areas, offers the following strategies to minimize stress and discover a healthier life balance:
- Know your triggers. What is it that tips the scale for you from busy to weighed down? Do your feelings of stress stem from relationships with your children or parents, financial concerns, issues at work, feeling out of control?
- Note how you respond to those triggers. As soon as you’ve recognized the cause(s) behind your elevated stress, take an honest assessment of the way in which you respond. Do you lose patience with your loved ones? Have a problem with falling/staying asleep, or following a healthy diet plan? Use unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as drinking or smoking?
- Make self-care a priority. You give so much of yourself to care for your family; make taking care of yourself equally important. You can only offer the best care if your own needs are met. Schedule designated time to relax, take part in enjoyable hobbies and activities, spend time with friends, exercise, etc. Your time away should be a top priority, and happen on a frequent basis – if at all possible, every single day.
If you’re wondering how you can possibly carve out time for yourself with all of the other commitments you’re juggling, we can help! At Home Care Company is always here to provide trusted, professional in-home respite care services – as much or as little as needed – to allow family caregivers peace of mind in knowing their older loved ones will be well cared for while they take needed time to step away.
Our fully trained and experienced senior caregivers are ready and waiting to help you lower your stress to find a much better quality of life, both for yourself and those you love. Reach out to us at (515) 292-2650 for a free in-home assessment and to learn more about our top-rated home care in Des Moines, IA and the surrounding areas.