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Dealing with Holiday Stress as a Caregiver

December 15, 2017

Caregivers Can Get Stress Buster Support This Holiday Season


The holidays are by far the easiest time of year for anyone to get stressed, including caregivers. Every day life already is stressful, so when the holidays come around, it’s no secret that one may become more overwhelmed rather easily. Amidst this whirlwind season, the temptation is to create or encourage bad or harmful habits and behaviors. For example, many people may turn to drinking to cope with the holiday stress. Others may give into their sweet tooth and eat more sugar, sleep and exercise less. When habits like this form, our emotions heighten and our defenses go down, making our reaction to both negative and positive situations become more intensified. To help curb these habits and emotions and focus on the joy of the season, caregivers may need stress busting support to survive the holidays.

Be aware of the signs. When it comes to caregiving, you are always giving of yourself. The holidays are no exception, in fact you are giving more of yourself during this season. While you are in midst of planning your own holiday as well as the senior you are caring for, your level of stress can reach an all-time high, and you may eventually meet your breaking point. It is at this breaking point that all of your emotions, energy - mental and physical - may become tapped out and emptied. When we hit this point, all motivation escapes us, and not only do we suffer, but those around us as well.

If you are feeling over stressed know that there are local resources to help.  For Caregiver Support in Salt Lake City County please contact us (CLCK HERE) or access a community based programs such as Salt Lake County's Aging & Adult Services Caregiver Support Program.

Salt Lake City's Aging and Adult Services Caregiver Support Program is a short term program that provides assistance and support to family caregivers including information and assistance. Caregivers can find Respite Services for a brief period of relief which may include a home health aide, adult day care, or a short term stay in a nursing home.  The program also provides supplemental services including supplies, equipment and services like lawn care.  For the stressed dementia caregiver, Aging & Adult Services offers a special Stress Buster Program perfect to help beat Holiday Stress!  Click here to Learn More: http://slco.org/aging-adult-services/caregiver-support/

Contact Info:
Aging & Adult Services
2001 South State Street S1-600
Salt Lake City, UT 84190-4575
385 468-3200

BrightStar Care of Salt Lake City proudly provides home health care and support for seniors, including 24 hour in home care, and support in independent and assisted living communities. We provide all levels of home care from companion services to skilled nursing, and medical staffing, in-home physical therapy for pediatric, adult and geriatric patients, companion and personal care for elders with Alzheimer’s or dementia. We also provide home child care, sitter and nanny services for children and support for new mothers. We support veterans as a partner of the VA/Veterans administration provider network and are a Home Care Provider for U.S. Department of Labor, Division of Energy Employees and Occupational Illness Compensation. We accept most long term care insurance benefits, provide end of life care, live-in care, CNA, Caregivers, RN, LPN, RN supervision, compassionate care, and have compatibility guarantees. We are an ALS Society partner, Alzheimer Association member, and provide care for developmentally disabled and individuals of all ages with mental health and behavioral health diagnosis. Other services include safe discharge and transportation from the hospital or rehab facility, post-operative care both short and long term, pre-operation and preparation help and assistance, client monitoring for out of town family members. We serve Mountainside, Sandy Draper, Midvale, Salt Lake City, Park City, South Salt Lake, Mill Creek, Holladay, Ogden, Orem/Provo, and Murray in UT