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-- Programs and Services -- Contact Information Coping with holiday stress
By Bea Cowlin, Caregiver Liaison
The holidays can be a stressful and difficult time for many reasons, including the responsibilities of caregiving. Caregivers who are coping with the serious illness of a family member may face difficult decisions in terms of keeping up with yearly family traditions. It’s okay for you as caregiver to state what you think you can or cannot do. Prioritize! Decide, with some input from family and the person you are caring for which traditions you wish to keep. Ask for help! Enlist other relatives to assist with cooking. If there are children in the family, ask them to help. Explain why help is needed. If possible, involve the person you are caring for in the planning of holiday activities. If there are fewer decorations, or less holiday goodies, that’s okay.
Some additional holiday tips:
- When family and friends ask for gift suggestions, keep in mind
that “help” is the best gift, such as visiting or taking your family
member out for 2 to 3 hours every week or every other week.
Keep family gatherings small. Too many people may be too much
for you as a caregiver, and overwhelming to the person you are
caring for.
- Plan a “pot luck” meal so you are not responsible for all the cooking.
- Prepare yourself. Family members who have not visited in awhile
may insist that everyone looks fine, and may down play your caregiving
responsibilities.
- Television shows and magazine articles may portray unrealistic
family gatherings where everything is perfectly happy, triggering
feelings of sadness and other emotions.
- Take care of yourself! Try to find some quiet time for yourself each
day, even if it’s only 10 minutes.
- Most important, keep your sense of humor and remember that you
are not alone.
For further support, contact Bea Cowlin, Caregiver Liaison at Elder Services at 499-0524, 1-800-544-5242 or caregiver@esbci.org