SEATTLE — Beyond the joyful moments of the holiday season, it can be a stressful time for family caregivers. Prioritizing your mental health and emotional well-being can help make the holidays a little brighter.
“Emotional well-being and mental health are such an important part of our overall good health, and people tend to overlook those issues,” said Marguerite Ro, AARP Washington state director.
A recent AARP study of caregivers found that more than 60% of them say caregiving increased their level of stress and worry. This is why it’s important for caregivers to focus on their own mental health whenever possible.
George Dicks was a caregiver for his brother and is also a geriatric mental health practitioner with Harborview Mental Health and Addiction Service. He temporarily relocated when his brother was ill.
“It was a fantastic experience,” Dicks said. “It was also exhausting. It was costly. It challenges other relationships. It demands a lot of your patience.”
Dicks stresses the importance of taking care of your health, including maintaining social connections, getting quality sleep, finding humor and joy where you can and preserving intimate relationships. This can be especially important during the busy holiday season.
“Make sure to make some of this holiday your own,” Ro said. “Take that 15 minutes out of every day just for you.”
To manage their stress, AARP’s survey found that caregivers most frequently listen to music (70%) or talk to friends and family (66%). More than half (52%) try to exercise.
There are resources available to support caregivers, and a good caregiver support group can be a lifeline. Support groups are run by faith institutions, medical centers, disease associations, adult day care centers, social service agencies and other businesses.
To find resources and more information on various support groups, visit the AARP website.
Sponsored by AARP
Segment Producer Suzie Wiley. Watch New Day Northwest at 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.