{"id":2171,"date":"2012-12-27T18:21:14","date_gmt":"2012-12-27T18:21:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/?p=2171"},"modified":"2023-11-08T10:22:01","modified_gmt":"2023-11-08T18:22:01","slug":"this-new-year-resolutions-for-caregivers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/news\/this-new-year-resolutions-for-caregivers\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Resolutions for Caregivers This New Year"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Caregiver<\/a>

Image source: Blog.brightstarcare.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Have you made your New Year\u2019s resolutions yet? Many of us will start 2013 bound and determined to lose weight, de-stress, de-clutter, or get out of debt. Typical New Year\u2019s resolutions focus on self-improvement. But if you\u2019re the parent or caregiver of a special needs child, taking care of your own needs often takes a backseat. You\u2019re probably too busy implementing the latest speech therapy techniques<\/a>, driving your kids to occupational therapy sessions, etc. And when you\u2019re not wrapped up in caregiver duties, you\u2019re probably desperately trying to fulfill all of your career responsibilities \u2013 from preparing sales presentations to dealing with workplace uniforms to boost your company\u2019s brand. And amidst that insanely busy schedule, there\u2019s probably very little time to address your own needs. This New Year\u2019s, resolve to take care of yourself so that you can better take care of everyone else.<\/p>\n

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Taking Care of Yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n

When was the last time you skipped a doctor\u2019s appointment (for yourself) because you were simply too busy in your role as a caregiver? According to the National Alliance for Caregiving and Evercare<\/a>, 55% of caregivers have reported skipping their own doctor\u2019s visits. That same study revealed that 63% of caregivers do not follow healthy eating habits, and 58% have less-than-satisfactory exercise routines.<\/p>\n

Those statistics are alarming, but perhaps not unexpected. It\u2019s all too easy to put off your own needs when you\u2019re attending to those of your children. But consider this: when you\u2019re so burned out and fatigued that you start putting the milk in the oven and leaving the house wearing your PJs and slippers, what else are you going to forget? You won\u2019t have the energy or attention span required to help your kids practice proper articulation (if you can even use proper articulation yourself!). Empower your special needs kids by empowering yourself<\/a> as well.<\/p>\n

\"Typical<\/a>

Image source: Techcrunch.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Start Small<\/strong><\/p>\n

Taking care of yourself doesn\u2019t have to mean hiring a live-in babysitter so you can take a week-long spa vacation (but feel free to dream about it!) Instead, start small. Carve out just one minute per day to do something good for yourself. When you realize that just one minute is more than manageable, increase it to 10 minutes. Enjoy a hot cup of tea by yourself (even if you have to lock yourself in the bathroom to get some alone time). Gradually try to expand your self-care time to include a quick exercise routine or a healthy home-cooked meal.<\/p>\n

Reducing Your Stress<\/strong><\/p>\n

Evaluate the causes of stress in your life and look for ways to reduce or eliminate them. If a messy house makes you hyperventilate, create a family chore chart or consider hiring a housekeeper for an hour a week. Of course, you can\u2019t eliminate all causes of stress (if we could, we\u2019d all have clones who would cheerfully get stuck in traffic for us). So it\u2019s also important to try to change your reactions to your stressors. Accept the fact that there are only so many hours in each day, and that you\u2019ll do the best you can with what you\u2019ve got.<\/p>\n

Other stress-reduction tips to consider are:<\/p>\n