The Importance of Showing Your Gratitude During Your Caregiver Journey

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At this time of year, gratitude, thankfulness, and joy are important features in celebrations, traditions, and spending quality time with loved ones. As a family caregiver, it is important to note that gratitude should be an active element of your life at all times.

Caregiver Morris County NJ - The Importance of Showing Your Gratitude During Your Caregiver Journey

Caregiver Morris County NJ – The Importance of Showing Your Gratitude During Your Caregiver Journey

Family caregivers for elderly adults are far more likely to experience stress and the serious consequences related to stress, which means it is critical for you to find ways to reduce the stress and preserve your well-being. Showing gratitude can help you to do this.

Some of the reasons showing your gratitude during your caregiver journey is important include:

  • Reminding you of the good things that exist in your life and giving you a light at the end of the tunnel, particularly if you are helping your parent deal with extremely challenging issues such as a progressive disease.
  • Feelings of reciprocity or good emotions tend to increase when you are feeling grateful. This means when you dwell on the things you are grateful for, you are more likely to want to do something good for other people. This promotes better relationships, easier forgiveness, and more flexibility in your care new lines.
  • Reducing depression and stress, which helps to reduce your risk for physical ailments as well as mental and emotional health challenges. Experiencing depression and stress also diminish the effectiveness of the care you give your parent and what you do for all others in your life who rely on you.
  • Keeping you connected to your identity and your life outside of your care efforts. This enables you to maintain your sense of self and feel confident a life is waiting for you when your care journey comes to an end.

Starting home care for your aging parent can be one of the best decisions you make for them as a family caregiver. When you introduce an in-home senior care services provider into their life, you are giving your senior the opportunity to get personalized care designed specifically for them, to maintain more of their independence and autonomy, and to live a lifestyle that is truly right for them.

These customized services are not a replacement for the care you give or your relationship with your parent. Instead, they are a valuable supplement then enables you to delegate tasks to this senior care provider so you can focus your energy and attention more effectively, take care of other aspects of your life, and also know your parent can live their life on their terms without always having to rely on you for transportation, help around the house, or other needs.

Source:  https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/gratitude-appreciation/

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring professional Caregiver Services in Morris County NJ, please talk to the caring staff at Generations Home Health Care today. Providing Home Care in Somerset, Essex, Union, Morris and Hunterdon Counties. Call us today at (908) 290-0691 or (973) 241-4534.

Susan Myer, RN, BSN, CCRN, CDP