There’s a lot to juggle when you’re taking care of someone you love. You may need to go ahead and sit down with a pen and some paper and do some brainstorming first. That’s going to give you what you need to be able to put some real solutions in place that actually solve the problems you’re facing.
Figure Out What You Need First
What exactly do you need? Looking at that first ensures that you’re putting your priorities in the right order. Sure, you could start with what your senior needs, but that’s going to create different problems for you. It’s crucial that caregivers remember that if they’re taking care of themselves, they’re going to be that much better prepared to take care of all of the other people and obligations in their lives.
Make a List of What Everyone Else Needs
Figure out what everyone else needs, both from you and in general. What this does is gives you a chance to look at everything all in one place so you can see where you are able to step in and where you need to get more help. Homecare providers may be a better choice for assisting your elderly family member with some of her needs. That’s especially true if you’re feeling pulled in multiple different directions.
Don’t Trust Your Memory
One of the biggest things to remember during this process is that you think you’ll remember all of these details, but you probably won’t. It’s not that you don’t want to remember them. It’s that your brain is really busy doing so many other things, it really can’t hold onto these details. Instead of complicating the situation by trying to dredge up again what you solved, just write it all down. In the future you will appreciate this immensely.
Develop a System in Which You Can Delegate Tasks
Understanding everyone’s needs, including your own, gives you a chance to put a framework in place that allows you to delegate and to get things done. That’s a much more crucial aspect of caregiving than many people realize. You don’t have to, and really shouldn’t, do everything yourself. Having a system allows you to be more cognizant of what you can do yourself and what you can hand off.
Managing your own schedule and needs is going to give you the room you need to be able to balance everyone else’s.