The responsibilities of caring for children and aging parents can lead to stress.
If your days are full of managing a home, parenting, working, taking care of elderly parents, and attempting to squeeze in time for yourself while nurturing other relationships, welcome to the sandwich generation! Comprised of those ages 35 – 54 who are “sandwiched” between caring for children and aging parents, it will not come as a shock to you that this segment of the population is facing higher quantities of stress than nearly any other, with up to 40% reporting severe amounts of stress.
Katherine Nordal, PhD, executive director for professional practice, American Psychological Association, shares, “It’s not surprising that so many people in that age group are experiencing stress. The worry of your parents’ health, and your children’s well-being as well as the financial concern of putting kids through college and saving for your own retirement is a lot to handle.”
It’s imperative to take the appropriate steps to reduce stress levels, as chronic stress may lead to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, depression, and diabetes, along with other significant health problems. On top of that, stress can carry over and impact the loved ones you are working so hard to care for.
Compassionate Nursing Services, a trusted provider of home care in Maryland Heights and the surrounding communities, offers the following tips to cut back stress and discover a healthier life balance:
- Recognize your triggers. What exactly is it that tips the scale for you from busy to overburdened? Do your feelings of stress originate from relationships with your children or parents, financial concerns, issues at work, feeling out of control?
- Note the manner in which you react to those triggers. After you’ve identified the cause(s) behind your elevated stress, take an honest assessment of how you respond. Do you lose patience with your family members? Have a problem with staying/falling asleep, or adhering to a balanced diet? Turn to detrimental coping mechanisms, such as smoking or drinking?
- Make self-care a priority. You give a great deal of yourself to care for your family; make caring for yourself equally important. You are only able to provide the best care when your own needs are met. Set aside designated time to relax, participate in enjoyable activities and hobbies, spend time with friends, exercise, etc. Your time away ought to be a high priority, and to happen on a routine basis – ideally, every day.
If you’re wondering how you can possibly carve out time for yourself with all the other commitments you’re juggling, we are able to help! Compassionate Nursing Services is always available to provide dependable, highly skilled in-home respite care services – as much or as little as needed – to allow family caregivers peace of mind in knowing their older family members will be well cared for while they take needed time to step away.
Our fully trained and experienced senior caregivers are ready and waiting to help you decrease your stress and find a better quality of life, both for yourself and those you care about. Email us via our online contact form or give us a call at 314-432-4312 to set up a free in-home consultation to learn more about our trusted home care in Maryland Heights and nearby areas. For information on each of the communities we serve, please visit our Service Area page.