When was the last time you felt truly rested? For caregivers, making time for self-care can feel almost impossible with all the other demands on your time. And yet, it is an essential skill to learn in your role as a caregiver. In our final episode of the season, we look to why self-care is a fundamental part of being a caregiver. As a caregiver, you are often willing to make sacrifices and feel a sense of commitment. However, without self-care, how can you sustain caring for your family or friend and not run the risk of burning out?

Highlights

• 2:38 How to find balance and have boundaries to fit your life.
• The reality of the burden of caregiving impacting other relationships.
• Why it’s a myth that enough self care will offset how much energy caregiving takes.
• 5:37 The importance of filling up a caregiver’s own gas tank.
• Having the ability to see and hear yourself and show yourself some compassion.
• How 92% of caregivers find caregiving rewarding, but that there are high levels of distress.
• 12:35 The difference between running a marathon and a sprint in caregiving.
• The importance of being together versus the tasks of doing things.
• How deciding that your own well being is important to accept self care.
• Why laughter creates resilient caregivers.
• 18:13 Learn about the elements of caregiving.
• How knowing about anticipatory grief is a proactive step in caregiving.
• The difficulty of juggling what to do now versus letting go of tasks.
• How care giving is one of the biggest social phenomenons in our society.
• Caregiver needs are not the same, but there are common elements.

Quotes

“Self care at its basis is being able to see and hear yourself and show yourself some compassion for how difficult it is.” - Jodie

“Your self care can be absolutely on point and you can still sometimes feel overwhelmed. That's just part of caregiving sometimes.” - Jodie

“You don't ever imagine that it's going to be like this. And yet, it can get so much better. It's accepting what's there every day and finding ease in it.” - Deanna

“If I were to look back and think about caregiving, it would be to really understand the feelings and emotions that you are going to go through no matter what, at different times than other people, and to learn about them. That's one tremendous gift that you could give yourself as a caregiver.” - Barb

“The tasks will always be there but the person won't.” - Barb

“It can save your life. It can be your lifeline. It can be that piece that just keeps you able to do this important life work for the person or people that need the care.” - Deanna on asking caregivers to reach out to get support

Links Mentioned In the Episode

Seniors Advocate of BC Report

Episode 2 with Barb Maclean

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BC Ministry of Health - Patients as Partners Initiative

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