ResCare HomeCare news — 04/01/2008

Stress: What to do when it all gets to be a little too much

Does your heart race before a speaking engagement? Does your stomach churn at the prospect of seeing a dentist? Do you find yourself feeling nauseous when you need to board an airplane? Situations like these can generate significant distress – or none at all – depending on our individual personalities and histories. Though they aren’t typically life threatening, anxiety-producing situations like these can trigger the same kinds of physical responses common in genuine life or death, “fight or flight” situations.

Fortunately, most of us have developed strategies for calming ourselves down to suit the needs of a very stressful moment. But what of lower-level, chronically stressful situations – those that don’t necessarily throw us into a full-blown panic, but cause habitual, day to day worry, frustration, and anxiety?

Such situations may cause sleeplessness, chronic fatigue, headaches, weight gain or loss, and a number of other changes. But because these changes aren’t caused by what we think of as high-anxiety situations – and because they may be less dramatic than the changes triggered by more acutely stressful events – we may accept them as part and parcel of everyday life. In fact, they take a toll on our long-term health and wellbeing.

For the family caregiver, the day-to-day causes of stress are often linked to the needs of the individual requiring care. These needs may call on and occasionally threaten to deplete our physical or emotional reserves. Lifting an individual with physical limitations may be very tiring physically, for example, while caring for an individual with a cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer’s disease may challenge even a loving caregiver’s ability to provide patient care and understanding.

How can caregivers reduce the stress of such day to day challenges? The answer comes down to two primary strategies:

1. Limit exposure to the most stressful events or situations, and/or
2. Change how you react to these situations.

Easier said than done on both counts, you may think.

Limiting exposure to situations that generate the greatest caregiver stress would typically mean lining up other sources of help. If other family members, friends, or community volunteers aren’t readily or reliably available to provide assistance, a professional home care provider may be the best option.

If financial considerations are a concern, you should know that home care providers may be able to work with you to develop affordable solutions. ResCare HomeCare offers everything from very short, occasional home visits to full 24-hour a day, every day care, and accepts private pay, private insurance, long-term care insurance, certain veterans’ benefits, and, in some cases, workers’ compensation. In addition, many of our branches work with state programs that provide funding for qualifying residents. Find a ResCare HomeCare location near you for a free assessment.

If the thought of having a stranger in the home makes you uncomfortable, be sure to find a provider whose caregivers are screened, trained, insured, and supervised. ResCare HomeCare’s caregivers pass criminal background checks and are trained in accordance with state licensing rules and regulations. In addition, many are specially trained to work with individuals who have Alzheimer’s.

The second coping strategy – changing how you react to stressful situations – can be even more challenging to implement. But remember, just as responses to potentially anxiety producing situations like public speaking or flying in an airplane differ tremendously from one individual to the next, responses to the challenges of caregiving differ as well – and it is just as possible to develop habits of mind that will lessen the stress they can cause. To that end, joining a caregiver support group may be beneficial. (Contact your local senior center for a referral.)

If it is difficult at this time to reduce the stress in your life, implementing lifestyle changes – including getting more exercise and sleep, and practicing meditation – can help your body mitigate stress’s negative health effects. For more information on caregiving and caregiver resources, you may want to visit the website of the National Women’s Health Information Center or the National Family Caregivers Association.

Your friends at ResCare HomeCare