What gift do you give the people who spend their time giving to others all year long? Support and encouragement to start.
There are more than 40 million unpaid caregivers of adults ages 65 and older in the United States. Of those 40 million, 90 percent of them are caring for an aging relative. When the holidays come around, additional pressure and stress arrives for caregivers, too.
“Being a caregiver is a full-time job in itself, regardless if they already have another job or career,” said Ronnie Edwards, Aging and Disability Coordinator at the Aging Institute of UPMC. “It’s 24/7. Caregivers are the nurse, the social worker, the in-home services; they’re everything for the care recipient and their families.
What is already a double shift for caregivers turns into a triple and quadruple shift during the holidays.”
Sometimes caregivers put their care recipient before themselves, causing them to miss doctors’ appointments at times or push through when they aren’t feeling well.
“They stress and fatigue from being a caregiver — it’s no wonder that many caregivers have just as many health issues as the care recipient sometimes,” Ronnie said.
The holidays can be stressful for anyone, but for caregivers the time can be exponentially more taxing. Here are some ways you can support a friend or family member who is a caregiver during this holiday season.
- Be a confidant. “This is key,” Ronnie said. “Letting the caregiver know that you are there to have open communication with them — if they want to rant or they want to cry, whatever they need, just to communicate they can let out and they will not be judged for it. Bottling emotions in doesn’t do any good and isn’t fair to the caregiver.”
- Offer companionship for the care recipient to give the caregiver regular breaks. “If you are able to take on some of the caregiving duties — even if it’s just for a couple hours — so the caregiver can maybe go to the grocery store or just take a nap. Something like this can just help alleviate the caregiver’s plate or give them a break, while making the care recipient feel good.”
- Offer financial support. “If you are able to help out with some of the cost — maybe it’s at-home care, maybe it’s purchasing a few meals through a food delivery service. A meal could be sent to the family so they don’t have to go out shopping or just home-cooked and delivered so they don’t need to cook. Little things like these can help take tasks — even if it’s just one — off the caregiver’s to-do list.”
- Treat the caregiver with a gift certificate to the spa, a local yoga studio, or their favorite restaurant. This will give them some much needed “me” time for relaxation and self-indulgence.
- Encourage the caregiver to pursue hobbies. This could go hand-in-hand with giving them time off from their caregiving duties so they can do something they enjoy.
If you are a caregiver, don’t forget about your own needs during this high-energy time. Here are some ways you can manage stress during the holidays:
- Practice self-care when you can.
- Do something for yourself.
- Make rest time for yourself.
- Let your family help give you a break