If there is a month that ushers in the springtime the most, then that month must be April. As the flowers begin to bloom and green leaves start coming back, this is a month of where you are reminded of the potential for renewal and regeneration. Family caregivers should use this month to see how renewal and regeneration play a role in their life. That is to say, there are still opportunities to make positive changes and transformations in your role as a family caregiver. Often, family caregiving causes a lot of stress. As a result of this stress, the role of a caregiver is considered a burden. Family caregivers may feel guilty if they consider their relationship to their loved one as "burdensome." While it is okay to feel stressed and overwhelmed at times, people can cope with stress by re-strategizing their approaches to caregiving and re-evaluating how they think about this stress. Instead of thinking of a certain situation as "bad," we can often reframe the situation that helps change our perception of it in a positive light. This technique can often help us cope with difficult scenarios and relieve stress in ways that can make us more effective caregivers.

 

Here are some tips to help cope with difficult situations:

 

(1)   Don't do it all by yourself: Part of caregiving is teamwork. It is okay to recognize your limitations and say "I can't do this." Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, reach out to family members and friends to see if you can recruit their help. Also, rely on community resources, like ElderCare, to alleviate your workload.

(2)   Come up with innovative solutions: Caregiving looks different for every individual. For example, your strengths may include communication and patience, but a weakness can include having difficulty responding to your loved one's negative emotions and behaviors, especially if they have a disease like Alzheimer's. Your weaknesses can either be overcome by recruiting help, or finding solutions around them. For example, instead of getting aggravated at your loved one's negative behaviors, you can try techniques to alleviate those behaviors like acknowledging your loved one's feelings and distracting their attention to something else. It is okay to struggle with some aspects of caregiving. Just know that there are always things you can try to make it better. And if you are at a loss for what to do, turn to experts if possible, like counselors who specialize in elder care. 

(3)   Do not ignore your emotions: There are moments where you may feel overworked, hopeless, and as if you are unable to be a caregiver anymore. These feelings are very natural, and we do not recommend that you ignore feelings of depression and overstress. Instead, find a professional, like a licensed psychologist, with whom you can speak and open up about your feelings. Sometimes, exploring these emotions helps you resolve them and reminds you of a greater purpose that can keep you motivated. Never ignore your feelings, especially if they are causing you a lot of distress. Instead, grapple with them and try to find light in situations that are challenging you.

Caregiving is not meant to be easy, but there are always opportunities for improvement. Finding positive change takes some introspection and a little effort, but the hope is to allow this change to reduce the burdens of caregiving.