Our Third Age has a lot that can happen in it. There are so many phases to this time of our life. Much like when we were teenagers, where we are at 60 is not necessarily going to hold true at 85.
After all, were you the same at 19 as you were at 11? Definitely not!
One of the realities of entering your Third Age is the likelihood that you will have to care for a loved one. Whether your parents, your significant other, or other family member, caregiving can be the reality for many of us.
Even the most compassionate people can find caregiving a drain on their emotional resources.
How do you take care of yourself so you can take care of someone else?
The Art of Caregiving
If you’re in our Third Age Mojo Facebook group (hint: come join us if not!), you’ll have seen me share some resources from Growing Bolder.
I love their resources, but in particular, I love these series of articles about caregiving!
With the complexities of not only medical decisions that you have to make with your loved one, but also everything that goes into helping them be as independent as possible while still helping, caregiving can be a delicate balancing act.
In their Art of Caregiving article, you’ll find not only the most common mistakes we might make as caregivers, but also tips on how to deal with your new (or maybe existing) role.
Plus, learn 5 keys to help you in your caregiving, including how to manage your energy and expectations.
Balancing the Stress of Caregiving
Caregiving can be a wonderful thing for you and your family, but it can also cause a lot of stress.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself! You can’t pour from an empty cup, after all. Growing Bolder has some great resources to help you balance the stress of caregiving, including resources to find support groups, how to set limits, and how to care for your own health.
Caring for Yourself
One of the roughest parts about caregiving is the drain that it can take on you, the person caring for someone else.
We love Growing Bolder’s caregiving tips from the Mayo Clinic that help you to remember to still put yourself first.
My personal favorite tips? Writing down your feelings and still setting goals for yourself.
You’ll be amazed at how quickly you might forget to take care of yourself. These goals will help you stay on the forefront of your own mental and physical health.
Don’t forget that you are still your most important person in need of care.
And if you want to explore some items that might help you take care of your loved one, and yourself, we’ve compiled a few of our favorite caregiving necessities.
