How A Care Coach Can Help You Balance Caregiving & Self-Care
Think of caregiving like an electric battery. With a full battery, you have the mental and physical energy to perform caregiving tasks, run errands, provide emotional support, and take your loved one to the doctors office. Much like a battery, a caregiver’s energy can run out over time if they don’t find ways to recharge.
At Trualta, a care coach can help you learn how to recharge your caregiver battery. Check if you have free access.
Low Battery & Caregiver Burnout
Caregiving is all about balance. While it may seem like putting off self-care is the best way to show dedication and care for your loved one, the opposite is true.
Caregiver burnout can lead to symptoms such as:
- Mental health problems like depression or anxiety.
- Sleep challenges and exhaustion.
- Thinking problems like trouble concentrating.
- Emotional challenges like feeling hopeless, helpless, or isolated.
- Not taking care of yourself.
- Losing interest in activities or spending time with others.
- Mood changes like irritability or feeling resentful toward your loved one.
- A weakened immune system.
It’s common to feel like there’s never enough time in the day for self-care. Or, you may not even know where to start. A care coach can help you find ways to:
- Make time for self-care.
- Explore what recharges your battery.
- Access the support you need.
- Address challenging feelings.
What Is A Care Coach?
A care coach is a dedicated professional who:
- Provides a safe space to listen to your feelings, life experience, related stories, and unique care challenges.
- Takes time to get to know you and your care situation.
- Answers non-clinical questions about caregiving.
- Helps you explore solutions to your caregiving challenges.
- Provides resources and educational tools you can use and learn from.
- Supports you to celebrate caregiving wins.
Let’s explore 5 ways a care coach can help you balance caregiving and self-care.
5 Ways A Care Coach Helps You Achieve Balance
1. Learn What Recharges You
When many of us imagine self-care, we may picture a long, luxurious bubble bath, candles, or maybe a glass of wine. When we think of self-care this way, we are actually putting up several roadblocks in our minds. We might think:
- I don’t have hours to spend relaxing.
- I don’t have money for fancy bubble bath or wine every week.
- I don’t know any other caregivers who take bubble baths.
- I don’t own a bathtub…
- I don’t like baths!
Relaxing or recharging doesn’t have to be an idealistic, time-consuming, or expensive activity that you can only do once in a while. It also doesn’t have to be the same activity another caregiver does.
A care coach will help you explore what activities you like, so you can find a way to recharge that works for you.
2. Find Time In Your Schedule
It’s easy to dismiss self-care when you have so many other commitments and tasks. A care coach can help you find realistic ways of making the time. They might:
- Break down your schedule to find time for small and big breaks.
- Help you get creative and try things you hadn’t thought of.
- Manage your expectations so that you’re setting yourself up for success.
- Help you work through guilt for taking time for yourself.
3. Access Support Resources
When you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, it’s important to use resources that help. A care coach listens to your unique care situation with empathy and compassion. In addition to providing resources for caregiving, they also can give you what you need to support yourself. For example:
- Sending you Trualta activities with strategies that can help you.
- Giving you information about respite care or state programs.
- Referring you to a caregiver support group or community chat room.
4. Set Boundaries
It can be hard to say “no” when caring for a family member or loved one with chronic conditions. Similarly, it’s easy to accept the way a person treats or speaks to you when you know they need your help. Setting healthy boundaries can be tough, but necessary to avoid:
- Overloading yourself with responsibilities.
- Burning out from lack of rest.
- Problems in your caregiving relationship.
Boundary setting helps meet your needs and communicates to others what is and isn’t okay for you. A care coach may be able to help you with:
- Accepting others’ emotions.
- Managing challenging behaviors.
- Accepting help from others.
- Setting boundaries to support your personal goals.
- Dealing with guilt.
- Saying “no”.
5. Heal Burnout With Strategies
Your care coach understands the complex emotions and needs of caregivers experiencing burnout. While they can’t offer the same support as a mental health professional, they can suggest strategies to help with healing or preventing caregiver burnout. These strategies help you take an active role in caring for yourself.
Remember, taking time for yourself isn’t selfish. Recognizing that you’re worthy of care is what helps you become a better caregiver for another person.
Interested in learning more about care coaching? Check if you have free access to Trualta.
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