Prioritize Your Wellness As a Caregiver

Life really comes at you fast. One minute you are cruising through life with very few hiccups, then boom the parent child relationship has reversed. Caring for a loved one requires a lot of sacrifice and patience. However, your mental or physical wellness can not take a back seat. Consider these facts presented by the Caregiver Alliance Organization:

• More than 65 million people, 29% of the U.S. population, provide care for a chronically ill, disabled, or aged family member or friend during any given year
• 40% to 70% of family caregivers have clinically significant symptoms of depression with approximately a quarter to half of these caregivers meet the diagnostic criteria for major depression.
• Family caregivers experiencing extreme stress have been shown to age prematurely. This level of stress can take as much as 10 years off a family caregiver’s life.
• Nearly three quarters (72%) of family caregivers report not going to the doctor as often as they should and 55% say they skip doctor appointments for themselves. 
• 63% of caregivers report having poor eating habits than non-caregivers and 58% indicate worse exercise habits than before caregiving responsibilities.

Shocking statistics right? So exactly how does one prioritize their wellbeing as a Caregiver? There a few things that can be done and are mentioned in the infographics.