Regardless of how you feel emotionally, you need to keep yourself motivated. As a caregiver, the elderly individual is relying on you in order to keep him or her sustained. The task can grind away at you like a knife on a whetstone, but you can’t give in. How can you keep motivated even though your loved one’s outlook is grim?
1. Personal Care
How can you care for someone if you’re unable to care for yourself? In order to help the elderly individual, you need to be kept sharp. Caring for your own needs can go a long way to providing the care that this individual requires. Proper healthier attitudes in your personal life can alter your perceptions and energy levels. When possible, you should concentrate on:
- Proper amounts of sleep
- Healthy eating habits
- Adequate time for relaxation techniques
- Proper daily allotments of vitamins and mineral
2. Meditation
Practicing meditation can help in any situation. It’s an easy way to help you alleviate stress and relax the mind from the day’s activities. Meditating before bed could help you acquire the proper amount of sleep that your mind and body needs in order to perform strenuous tasks the next day. Without proper rest, your mind can become cloudy and your temper could flare easily. It is important to keep yourself centered,
3. Switch Focus
Don’t focus on what is debilitating for your loved one, but on what he or she can excel. Concentrating on the negative only reminds people of their faults, and no one wants to be reminded of such things. Engage him or her on tasks that can provide a positive reinforcement. Setting one up for success can help self-esteem and build confidence within an individual that requires care.
4. Journal
Writing in a journal can help you relieve the stresses of providing care for an elderly person. It can also help you focus on days that are positive providing you with a method to relive those moments. It’s all about keeping a positive frame of mind in order to promote a greater motivation for success with your caregiving.
Writing down your concerns, experiences and actions can help you relax as well as help you gain insight if there is a particular situation that you don’t know how to deal with. Many have found that writing the problems out can help them take an objective look at the situation in order to develop a logical plan of action.
5. Self-Congratulations
As corny as it may sound, you should try to congratulate yourself every day that all needs and expectations were met when taking care of your caree. This process is suggested by many therapists as it helps reinforce your own confidence in order to perform a job well done.
At times, your motivation could waver severely when dealing with a disgruntled loved one. Your focus needs to remain that this individual needs your help whether they want it or not. You need to gather your strength and keep going even when you truly don’t want to. He or she is counting on you to complete your task.
