Caregiver Stress- I need a little "Me Time"

Working in the healthcare field is a stressful job, but at the end of the day, we get to go home and leave the worries of the job until we come back to work. Having said that, we truly understand the role of caregivers in the home. Caregivers take on a lot of responsibility. In addition to their own families, jobs and life activities, they take on the role of caring for their loved ones in all aspects of their life; from physical care (bathing, dressing, feeding, etc.) to medical care (managing their medication schedule, doctor appointments, obtaining needed equipment, etc.) to emotional care (helping to maintain memories, doing activities to keep them active, etc.). It can leave one exhausted and in need of some "me" time. We, as caregivers, often give great advice to others about taking the time to care for themselves but often times we don't take our own advice. We can be our own worst enemies. It is important to our minds, bodies, and souls to rejuvenate when we get the chance, even if it is just for a few hours. There are so many available stress relievers out there for what ever you are into. The gym, the movies, a lunch date with friends, a drive in the country. Sometimes we have to deal with the tolls that the stress puts on us. Sometimes our stress creates health problems of our own that we need to seek medical attention for. This causes wide-spread panic in our brains because, "If I'm sick, who's going to take care of my loved one?" It is imperative that we care as well for ourselves as well as we do our loved ones. It's difficult to squeeze in "me" time when your loved one can't be left unattended. This was the idea behind both the Adult Day Care program and Respite Program that we offer at ARK Twin Valley. We believe in caring for the mind, body, and soul for complete well being. Our programs offer you the chance to rest easy that your loved one is in a safe and caring environment while you attend a doctors appointment for yourself, lunch with the grandkids, do grocery shopping or go out of town for the weekend. It's affordable peace of mind when you need to heal yourself. I hope that you'll consider our programs and call if you have any questions. We are here to help.

Lesa Camp has been working at Ark Twin Valley Personal Care Home for over 14 years. She is a Senior Aide, taking care of all the residents medically, physically, and emotionally, as well as overseeing staff.