Caregivers in Newton MA
Being a family caregiver for any senior can bring stress and challenges. When that senior is dealing with a chronic health condition as influential and life changing as Parkinson’s disease, however, this stress can be even more marked. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disease. This means that the symptoms that your parent has when he is diagnosed with the disease will only get worse as he gets older. He is likely to also develop further symptoms that will impact his physical and cognitive functioning.
It is normal to feel stress and anxiety when faced with these situations. You are coping with the fact that your elderly loved one is dealing with changes in his capabilities and struggling with no longer being able to handle his needs. This is not only upsetting because he is having a difficult time, but stressful because of the new responsibilities that it will add to your schedule and routine. Simply because this stress is normal, however, does not mean that you should just deal with it. Experiencing high levels of stress can have a major impact on your mental, emotional, cognitive, and physical health. Acknowledging and dealing with this stress will help you to protect yourself and give your parent the best care possible
Somewhere between 40 and 70 percent of caregivers report experiencing stress. At least half of these caregivers also have clinical depression. This level of stress can have deep and lasting impact on your daily life and interfere with your ability to fulfill your responsibilities.
Use these tips to help you cope with caregiver stress while you are caring for a parent with Parkinson’s disease:
• Confront the reality. Denial may seem like a way to reduce stress, but it can actually increase it. Rather than trying to pretend that the symptoms are not really as bad as they are, or that you can control all of them, be realistic. Confront the reality of the disease and embrace that you cannot change that it exists or that it will progress. Simply being honest and letting go can help to reduce your stress and focus your attention on what you really can influence.
• Seek out support. There is a varied and vibrant community of people with Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers. Get involved with this community and let it be your source for support, encouragement, and advice. Join a caregiver support group and find one for your parent to be a part of as well. This will help you to feel less alone and help you make decisions about your parent’s care.
• Adopt coping mechanisms. As soon as your parent receives his diagnosis of PD, start building a toolkit of coping mechanisms. Breathing exercises, gardening, reading, watching favorite TV programs and movies, sensory conditioning, and spending time with your partner are all effective methods. Remember that your stress relief method does not have to mean anything or make sense to anyone else. If it helps you to dance in the living room or scream into your pillow, that is all that matters.
Source
http://caremap.parkinson.org/caregiver-stress/
If you or an aging loved one are considering caregivers in MA, or anywhere in Eastern Massachusetts, please call the caring staff at CARE Resolutions – (508) 906-5572.
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