You may have heard this said and not really paid much attention to the message. However, if you are caring for your parents while your brother lives out of state or is busy with his career and family, you know all too well the implications of the old saying.

Often a woman is called upon to care for her aging parents or a loved one with special needs. Daily, she is faced with meal preparation, changing beds, cleaning house, maintaining a medication schedule, and dealing with a patient who can be very demanding. Your loved one may need physical assistance to get around. You may even have to remodel your home, not necessarily to improve aesthetics, but to make it possible to get a wheelchair through the door. Your parents may live with you or you may be traveling daily to care for them in their home. Either way, you have become their household and financial manager and primary
care provider. The entire burden falls on you as you care for someone else’s needs. Where does that leave you?

You may be feeling depleted physically, financially and emotionally—especially if you have a family of your own to care for and your own career to maintain. You energy level may be down and you may feel helpless to continue dealing with the stress. You may have health problems of your own. You could be experiencing financial difficulties from medical care not covered by your health insurance.

Here are a few things you can do to take care of yourself while you care for others.

Take time for yourself. Even if it is only 30 minutes a day, do something for yourself. Take up a hobby that gives you a chance to be creative. Separating yourself from the demanding scene and doing something to rejuvenate your own energy level will enable you to recharge your batteries before returning to your duty. Keeping your own body in good shape will help you with lifting as well as managing your stress level. Get some exercise and make sure you maintain a healthy eating regimen. A yoga class is a good choice because it gently stretches and works all the muscles in your body.

Ask your siblings to assist you. State your needs and set your boundaries with other members of your family. If you are an only child, perhaps you could ask a friend or neighbor to sit with your parents while you get out for a while. A change of scenery can help give you a fresh perspective as you walk back into your situation. Spend time alone or with a compassionate friend. The stimulation of friendship and laughter can go a long way to help relieve stress and lighten your load.

Hire someone to help with the chores. A cleaning service could tackle the household dirty work once a week. You might consider having someone prepare meals ahead of time that you can take out of the freezer and pop into the microwave. Check into having prepared meals delivered to your door. Have a teenager in your neighborhood do your grocery shopping from a list you prepare. Have you considered asking a young reader from your local elementary school to come in and read to your parents? This not only provides stimulation for your parents, it gives the youngster a chance to practice reading, socialize with the elderly and show off his or her reading skills while you take a break and put your
feet up.

Find someone you can talk to. It could be a friend or you could see a therapist who will let you vent and get the stress off your shoulders. Keeping all your thoughts and feelings to yourself only leads to internal stress for your body and emotions. Look into adult daycare centers. If you are working full-time, you can’t possibly tend to your parents all day. There are adult daycares where you may drop off your parents in the morning before work and pick them up that afternoon. Not only do you have the satisfaction of knowing that your parents are being cared for, they have the opportunity to visit with people their own age. This type of social interaction can be quite healthy even if they balk at the idea of not having you by their side all day.

Your parents may not have been prepared to have someone else be their caregivers, but you can be prepared to help your children if you are faced with this situation. Being a caregiver can be a drain on personal and financial resources. That’s why planning for your future is so important.

Are you wondering how you can afford to hire someone to help you manage your life in these extreme circumstances?

Look to your life insurance policy for answers if the unthinkable should happen to you. Life insurance is traditionally designed to provide security for your loved ones in the event of your premature death. But, did you know that you can help to protect your quality of life during many serious illnesses or family crises? You can actually help to safeguard your family’s well-being while taking action to provide for their future.

Quality of Life…Insurance Is Changing The Way Americans Think About, Purchase, And Use Life Insurance^SM. Giving your family peace of mind is what American General Life Insurance and Accident Company is all about.  So, take care of yourself. Take care of your loved ones, but make sure you insure your quality of life.

Call an agent for an assessment of your current life insurance coverage or read more about how Quality of Life…Insurance can work for you.

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