8 Self-Care Suggestions for Caregivers to Make the Holidays and 2025 Easier
Author: Debbie Humphrey
Caregivers in Clearwater, FL and Surrounding Areas
Being a family, professional, or private caregiver can be quite challenging. That’s why my administrative team and I host a special Christmas party each year for our hard-working caregivers at Home Helpers.
Everyone enjoys food, fun, and fellowship since we rarely get together, and our admins take the opportunity to acknowledge their hard work and dedication to our team and our dear clients.
Because good physical and mental health is crucial to a caregiver’s ability to perform at their optimum, care for caregivers during the holidays and into New Year 2025 is paramount.
“When it comes to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we often find ourselves thinking about the future, our growing to-do list and the expectations we have for ourselves and things to come,” said Daniel Gaylor, an outpatient social worker at Moffitt Cancer Center. “Don’t overlook the small pleasures in your day-to-day life. Work to be present in each day and to enjoy what each day brings. Don’t lose out on today because you are thinking about tomorrow.”
Caregivers must manage holiday-related stress and release their unrealistic expectations and those of people in their orbit. Moffitt outlines 8 self-care suggestions for caregivers to make the holidays and 2024 easier for everyone:
Communicate Openly
Share your feelings, concerns, and needs with loved ones. Communication is key to preventing misunderstandings and ensuring that others understand your limitations and boundaries. Explain that your time is limited and that they can help you by being flexible. You’ll probably find that everyone else will follow suit once you stop reacting.
Ask for Help
Remember, you don’t have to do everything yourself. If you don’t ask for help, people may not realize that you need it, or they might not know what to do.
Forget Perfection
Over time, your memories may have blurred, and some of the wonderful holidays you fondly remember probably weren’t so perfect. Stop holding yourself to an impossible standard; do your best with what you have now and let that be good enough.
Practice Stress-Reduction Techniques
Incorporate relaxation techniques into your daily routine, such as deep breathing exercises, yoga, or mindfulness meditation to help manage stress.
Take Care of Yourself
Carve out some quiet time for yourself every day. Also, be sure to eat right and exercise. This is easier said than done during the holiday season, but you’ll feel better if you treat your body right.
Acknowledge Your Frame of Mind
If the holiday season stirs up painful memories, don’t bury or ignore your anguish, anger, or bitterness. Get it out by talking with someone or writing in a journal. Remember, you have a right to your feelings.
Practice Self-Compassion
Be kind and gentle with yourself. Avoid self-criticism and recognize that it’s OK to have limitations. Self-compassion can help reduce feelings of guilt or inadequacy.
Find Moments of Joy
Try to find joy and meaning in the holiday season, even in small moments. Engage in activities that bring you happiness and connect with the positive aspects of caregiving. Managing your stress during the holidays will help you avoid burning out, become a more effective caregiver, and better enjoy the season.
Gaylor says, “When you are looking for self-care opportunities, keep in mind they don’t have to be big, extravagant things. Self-care can be 10 minutes alone on a walk outside or 30 minutes to watch your favorite TV show without the distraction of your phone, etc. Sometimes the smaller self-care opportunities have larger impacts than we realize.”
If you are a caregiver, these self-care suggestions can benefit you and the caregivers you know. It is essential that you take care of yourself and routinely prioritize your own needs to avoid burnout, isolation, and depression. A little self-care will go a long way to help you maintain a healthy quality of life, sustain your professional fulfillment, and allow you to perform at your best for your clients before, during, and after the holidays and throughout 2025.
If you are interested in becoming a caregiver, I invite you to learn more about Home Helpers and complete an application. Serving families in their homes is a special calling, and I am delighted to welcome talented, committed individuals to explore the senior care employment opportunities available at Home Helpers.
We, at Home Helpers® Clearwater, are honored to have been ranked among the Home Care Pulse Top 100 Leaders in Experience for home care providersand to have receivedthese awards in 2024: Best of Home Care® Provider of Choice, the Best of Home Care® Employer of Choice, the Best of Home Care® Leader in Experience, as well as being named a Caring.com 2023 Caring Super Star.
We proudly serve male and female seniors in Clearwater, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin, Holiday, Hudson, Largo, New Port Richey, Oldsmar, Palm Harbor, Port Richey, Safety Harbor, Saint Petersburg, Seminole, Tarpon Springs, Trinity, and surrounding areas. Home Helpers®…we are Making Life Easier® 727.942.2539