Live Free Home Health Care, LLC. - Bristol, New Hampshire

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

The Need for Respite: Recognizing Caregiver Stress and the Effects of Overload

Family caregivers often find themselves running in emergency mode, and eventually the mind and body pay the price. Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. In fact, raised stress levels can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, and can speed up the aging process.

Take this quick quiz to determine if you are in control of stress or if stress is controlling you:

 When I feel agitated, do I know how to quickly calm and soothe myself?

 Can I easily let go of my anger?

 Can I turn to others to help me calm down and feel better?

 When I come home at night, do I walk in the door feeling alert and relaxed?

 Am I seldom distracted or moody?

 Am I able to recognize upsets that others seem to be experiencing?

 When my energy is low, do I know how to boost it?

Feeling frazzled and overwhelmed is a key indicator that it’s time to take action to nurture your nervous system. You can protect yourself by learning the following signs and symptoms of stress and taking steps to reduce its harmful effects. When under pressure, behavior can present as:

 Talking too fast or too loud

 Yawning

 Fiddling and twitching, nail biting, grinding teeth, drumming fingers, pacing, etc.

 Bad moods: irritability, being critical, overly sensitive replies, anger and irrationality

 Making less realistic judgments

 Inability to concentrate

 Being more forgetful

 Making more mistakes

 Disorganization, confusion and worry

 Neglect of personal appearance and personal hygiene

Live Free Home Health Care of Concord, New Hampshire is here to offer further guidance and options that can give you a well-deserved break from caregiving responsibilities. If you're looking for a partner in home care in the Lakes Region or Central New Hampshire, contact us today at 603-217-0149, and let us help make your life a little easier.

Tags:   eldercare, family caregivers, home care, in-home care providers, private duty agencies

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