Try: Care giving may take on an entirely different meaning when the person for whom you are caring is your spouse the 24 7 responsibilities can be overwhelming to say the least the line between the spousal relationship and care giving relationship may become a blur and disappear before you realize it as a result the marital relationship may be robbed of some rewarding moments spousal caregivers often forget that the health and well-being of the spouse needing care is vitally dependent on the well-spouse maintaining his or her physical health and mental well-being too often the well-spouse feels that he or she will be able to manage personal affairs along with the stress and overload that comes with care giving for a spouse one of the most important aspects of spousal care giving is to look for the warning signs of stress and distress and act upon them accordingly red flags to look for in a spousal care recipient missing or delaying medical appointments ignoring health problems or symptoms not taking the time to eat a healthy diet overuse of tobacco and or alcohol not making time for regular exercise or physical activity loss of sleep choosing isolation over social connections keeping feelings of anger and frustration bottled up until they explode and are directed at the spouse friends family or others and even self being depressed sad or feeling that things are hopeless lack of energy losing interest in activities that you used to enjoy as a couple harboring resentment towards the spouse blaming the spouse for the situation feeling burdened by others’ expectations feeling that family relationships are being threatened by the care giving situation being annoyed with other family members who either don’t help or criticize you when any of these red flags go up it is time to step back and explore other avenues that will allow you and your spouse to resume some semblance of normalcy in your relationship suggestions for spousal caregivers reach out and ask for help others may not realize there are problems because from the outside looking in the situation may appear as normal as it once was make maintaining your health a number one priority make time each and every day for a healthy diet and exercise or other physical activity have physical checkups regularly congratulate yourself daily on your ability to assume and manage the shifting of roles and responsibilities try to keep your lifestyle as normal as you can if going out to a movie like you once enjoyed is no longer an option set a date rent a movie and pick up a meal to take home maintain personal closeness by reliving positive special memories through photo albums or family videos keep your children informed and accept any help that they may offer for assistance and emotional support make respite care a part of your weekly schedule talk to friends and family to see if someone would be willing to fill in for you as a caregiver while you get a break consider hiring a care manager to help plan and manager the medical care for your spouse this can be a very expensive option consider hiring an in home care giver to provide you with expertise support and respite this is more affordable than hiring a care manager resume and maintain your social connections being rested maintaining your health asking for assistance and connecting with others is a challenge that so often goes ignored in a spousal care giving situation rise to the challenge and enjoy the rewards information references
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*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed