Community Support

Support &Self Care for

Carers are special people. They tirelessly devote their time to the needs and wants of the person they are caring for, whether they are looking after a member of the family or are employed in some capacity.

The thing about being a carer though, is that very often they forget to look after themselves. Live-in care specialists at Helping Hands have stated that one in ten adults in the UK are carers in some form, which means nearly seven million people.

The health of carers is a recognised issue and to deliver the best of care and to ensure their own health, physical and mental, a carer needs to practise self-care on a regular basis.

Keep Fit

Caring can mean a lot of time being on your feet all day. You may have lifting to do - assisting in getting in and out of bed, helping them to the bathroom, guiding them in and out of their wheelchair or walker etc. This can take its toll on your back, your muscles and most certainly your feet. To do this with ease, it is important to keep your body in shape with regular gentle exercise.

Yoga or Tai Chi are good regimens for all ages. It is also a good idea to start your day with some gentle stretching exercises. This means your body is better able to take any strain when lifting early in the day.

Look after your diet

As well as looking after the nutritional needs of the person you are caring for, pay attention to your own diet. Take a look at the Eat Well website for ideas. If you do the cooking, make meals you both enjoy paying attention to fresh fruit, vegetables and lean meat. If you have dietary or allergy considerations, browse for recipes online.

Be sure to get those all important 5-a-day, but remember to treat yourself too. If y ou need a break from cooking duties, consider giving your local Meals on Wheels service a call.

Downtime

Your caring duties and thinking about your patient can be all consuming, so there needs to be a route of escape, a time when you can cast off those worries and concerns for a while to concentrate on yourself. Your downtime should be spent doing something you

carers

enjoy. It might be a hobby or simply a time to catch up on your favourite TV shows but it should be something you like to do on your own. Try to plan some specific time in each day or week, so you have something to look forward to. You may like to get in touch with with your local Carers' Club which provides information about carer support groups and a range of other support.

It can be a lonely life as a carer, especially if your your patient is not able to communicate very well. Being able to spend time with other people can be a refreshing and re-energising change where you can talk about things you enjoy or things that interest you, or even just spend companionable time together over a drink or a cup of coffee.

Being around like minded people who deal with similar pressures and issues can help you feel less alone and also tthere is the opportunity to learn from other's experiences.

Respite care

When it comes to self-care, it is not unusual for a carer to feel they are being selfish if they think about their 50-60+ hours a week looking after someone, you do need to think about giving yourself a break.

Whether you want to go on a holiday or simply take a break to recharge your batteries, there is respite care available. The importance of being able to take some time away from your patient cannot be underestimated.

According to a survey carried out by the Carers Trust, carers providing more than 50 hours of care per week are twice as likely to report ill-health as those not providing care. There should be no guilt involved in taking the time to look after yourself and it enables you to provide the best care you can.

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