Caregiving stress can be relieved by rediscovering joy and laughter.
Life often hands us “one of those days” – you’ve slept through the alarm and missed an important appointment, the coffee maker chose today to quit working, you tripped over the shoes left beside the bed, dropping your phone and smashing the display screen, and to top it all off, you feel a cold coming on; and it’s barely 8 a.m.
For individuals who are caregiving for a senior loved one, each and every day can feel packed with this same level of stress. At Live Free Home Health Care, top providers of the in home care Franklin, NH seniors need, we get it! Worries over making certain your loved one is comfortable, safe, and healthy multiply with the stress of how to accomplish all of the day’s to-dos, and the last thing on a caregiver’s mind may be a hearty belly laugh. Nonetheless, that may actually be just what the doctor ordered to decrease stress and permit you to once again discover the joy and benefits of providing care for your loved one.
As a matter of fact, the perks of laughter to both our mental and physical health are considerable and well documented, including:
- Giving our immunity a boost
- Reducing our levels of stress hormones
- Lowering pain
- Increasing the heart’s functionality and reducing heart attack risk
- Releasing endorphins that promote stress reduction for nearly an hour
- And even raising our chance of a longer life!
Needless to say, we’re not advising taking serious problems lightly, or laughing at your senior loved one. The key is in finding humor in the everyday moments you encounter, and then sharing laughter together. Below are a few tips to get the ball rolling:
- Plan an afternoon of comedy. Find a classic funny movie your family has enjoyed in the past, or a taping of a stand-up comedian, grab some snacks, sit back and enjoy the show.
- Search online for jokes, funny stories, and one-liners, and compile a list of those that are particularly funny. Set aside certain points throughout the day as “joke time,” drop whatever chore or task you’re doing at those designated times, and take a quick joke break.
- Spend time with children. Kids are naturally joyful, and just being around them as they play will no doubt lead to boundless opportunities for laughter.
- Take time to reminisce over favorite funny stories from the past. Pulling out pictures or old home movies is a good way to trigger favorite recollections.
- Break out of the everyday routine. It’s easy to get stuck in a pattern of busyness with tasks and then crashing in front of the TV. Plan an outing to try something different with your senior loved one and simply enjoy quality time together.
Live Free Home Health Care is always at hand to help ease stress in a variety of ways. Allow us to provide support with housework, laundry, preparing meals, running errands and more, and rediscover the joy of having fun with your senior loved one! Providing the best in home care Franklin and the surrounding area have to offer, we’re here with as much or as little assistance needed to improve quality of life for both your senior loved one and yourself. Contact us at 603-217-0149 to learn more!