The Importance of Mindfulness for Caregivers

Family caregivers have much on their plates. Barring their work and personal lives, caregivers are responsible for keeping their elderly loved one healthy, happy, and safe. While it is a rewarding job, it is an at-times stressful one and can drive caregivers into burnout and depression.

There are many things a family caregiver can do to manage their symptoms of burnout and depression. The importance of mindfulness for caregivers can’t be understated.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of purposefully paying attention to the present moment without judgment. In principle, it may sound simple, but it isn’t as easy to execute in practice. Most people have the unfortunate habit of dwelling on past experiences or focusing on anxieties about the future. This can lead to deeper ruminations, which can take a toll on your mental health.

Mindfulness has been shown to have a positive impact on those who practice it, including a decrease in levels of anxiety and depression, and an increase in general positive well-being. They also help improve one’s emotional processing and ability to cope with stress, which not only helps them interpersonally but in their caregiving duties.

How is mindfulness useful for caregivers?                                                       

Many individuals feel they need to address the needs of others before they can even think about addressing their own. This couldn’t be further from the truth. As your mental and physical health declines, so do your caregiving capabilities.

Mindfulness encourages you to stay in the present instead of focusing on everything that is to come. This allows you to better see what it is your loved one needs in the moment, as well as what you need to do your best job possible. If you’re overworking yourself, mindfulness will help you recognize it before it becomes a substantial problem.

Instead of ruminating on a loved one’s future health problems, practicing mindfulness allows you to accept how things are now. With mindfulness, you can better focus on your loved one.

How can I practice mindfulness?

Much of mindfulness revolves around meditating and grounding oneself in the present. Taking even 10 minutes out of your day to focus on a meditative practice may make a world of difference in your overall mental health.

If the prospect of meditation is daunting to you, that’s okay. There are smaller things you can do to practice mindfulness throughout the day that don’t force you to totally pull away from what you’re doing.

• Notice your thoughts and feelings throughout the day. If there are any repetitive thoughts, consider writing them down to address them at a later time
• Turn off the radio and sit with your thoughts while driving
• Go for a walk without using your phone or listening to music so you can notice your surroundings
• Pay attention to the food you eat and how fast you eat it

For a break from your caregiving responsibilities, consider respite care

The importance of mindfulness for caregivers is crucial to their overall health. If you realize you’re overworking yourself, take a step back from your caregiving responsibilities and hire the help of a respite caregiver. These caregivers are trained to assist with the non-medical activities of daily living your loved one requires help with so you can focus on taking care of yourself.

If you think you might benefit from the help of an at-home caregiver, call us at 773-274-9262. We’d be happy to help.