Hospice Caregiver Support.

6 simple tips to maintain your well-being.

As your loved one is your main concern right now, it will not help them if you become sick. For this reason, you need to take care of yourself. With that in mind, the following family hospice caregiver resources and ideas are available to help you maintain your well-being:

1. Eat three meals a day. It may be hard to eat if your loved one cannot, but remind yourself of why you need to eat...to stay strong.
2. Get adequate rest. Some chores might not get done or there may be someone who would help if you let them know how. Can someone else shop for groceries or sweep up? Realize you can’t do everything, so let others help.
3. Get outside for a few minutes every day. Twenty minutes in the fresh air will do wonders for your mood. You will return to your loved one refreshed.
4. Speak honestly about how you are feeling. Good or bad, it helps to let another person know what you are thinking and feeling. Choose a person who makes you feel safe. Support is what you need right now.
5. Find some type of recreation. If you have a hobby, try to do it at least twice a week. See a movie. Bowl. Golf. Do something different each week.
6. Sometimes you need a break. There may be times when caring for your loved one is too overwhelming. Ask your Crossroads team about respite care for your loved one.

If you would like to learn more about available caregiving resources, contact Crossroads Hospice today.

Invaluable family resources for hospice caregivers

Being a caregiver is difficult work. Whether it is your mom, dad, brother, sister, neighbor, or even your child, a serious illness or chronic condition can require all of your attention, energy, love and patience. The following websites provides support for hospice caregivers, and can help you find more information and resources to make your role more manageable.

1. CaringInfo.org is another great one-stop resource to find information about issues like home safety, pain management, talking with a child about his or her illness and much more.

2. CaringBridge.org offers free patient websites to help loved ones share information and support throughout serious health events, care and recovery. It is extremely easy to set up and use; and it will automatically notify family and friends each time you post new information.