Caregiving

Excerpt from Caregivers Handbook, a Harvard Medical School Special Health Report. For more information or to order, please go to http://www.health.harvard.edu/CG.)

Caregiving is one of the most worthwhile jobs you may ever undertake but it can cause undeniable strain. On average, family caregivers are in their 40s. And many feel unbearably squeezed between the demands of caregiving, the needs of their families, and the pressures of work. Bleak predictions seem to abound whenever research on caregiving makes the news. The Nurses’ Health Study reported that caregiving is linked with higher rates of depression or anxiety. Other research suggests that caregiving increases the risk of a range of health problems including high blood pressure and signs of a distressed immune system.

But the culprit isn’t merely caregiving, which can forge a loving, healthy connection. It’s the difficulty of eating well, exercising, enjoying life, releasing stress, and getting the rest you need when you’re caring for someone or combining care with an already full plate. But you can take action to protect your health:

• Do seek respite care. Time for yourself makes a real difference.
• Eat well. Include plenty of vegetables and fruits in your diet, and choose whole grains over refined-grain products. Limit or cut out unhealthy fats.
• Stay active. Frequent exercise delivers proven health benefits, such as lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Try to get 30–60 minutes of moderate exercise a day, most days of the week. If that sounds impossible, remember that some activity is always better than none.
• Stay connected. Catch up with friends by phone, e-mail, and the occasional lunch or movie. Ask people to visit you or to drop by to see the person you’re helping so that you can take a break.
• Enjoy yourself. Listen to music you like, enjoy a luxurious bath, take a yoga class, dabble in art or creative pastimes, go out to dinner, or splurge on a massage. Regular time off helps make the point that you’re neither invincible nor completely irreplaceable.