Action Plan for Caregivers

An action plan can help you to take control of your life - making you happier with yourself and also a more effective caregiver. Everyone's action plan will be slightly different; sit down and evaluate your own needs, emotions and desires, and decide which actions you can take to alleviate some of the problems in your life.

Here are some suggestions that you might want to include in your action plan. You can choose some of these, leave out some, and add others of your own. The important thing is that you remain action-oriented and that you plan for your
own health and well-being.

I Will:

• Seek help-any help that I can find
  
• Allow my family to help
  
• Involve my family in decisions
  
• Share the burdens of caregiving with others
  
• Research, investigate, and stay informed
  
• Be prepared for the unexpected and for the expected
  
• Try to understand and accept my own emotions-grief, anger, anxiety, depression, shame, guilt
  
• Look for others who can understand my emotions
  
• Join a support group or seek professional counseling
  
• Accept my right to be emotional
  
• Accept my imperfections and flaws
  
• Forgive myself for my slip-ups
  
• Stop trying to be perfect
  
• Take care of my physical and emotional needs
  
• Keep up with activities that I enjoy
  
• Take things one day at a time, one crisis at a time, one joyful moment at a time
  
• Plan for the future
  
• Try to communicate with my care recipient, even when communication gets difficult
  
• Find a good, caring doctor for my elder
  
• Set boundaries for myself and learn to say no
  
• Recognize when I am getting burned out, and seek help

What would you like to add to this list?
______________________________________________________
What specific needs do you have?
______________________________________________________
What circumstances would you like to see changed?
______________________________________________________
What kinds of plans would you like to have for the future?
______________________________________________________

The nice thing about having an action plan is that when you start to get overwhelmed, you can pull it out and remind yourself how you envisioned your life and your role. Above all, be kind to yourself. Being a caregiver is not an easy task, and everyone in this role is bound to make mistakes. Use your action plan as a guide to plan and make time for those things that are important to you so that you do not lose focus about your own personal and emotional needs.

About MINES & Associates
________________________________________

For over 25 years MINES & Associates has been a nationally recognized business psychology firm that provides a variety of services to corporate employers including employee assistance programs (EAP), managed mental healthcare, organizational development and psychology services, wellness programs, behavioral risk management, disease management, and PPO services. MINES & Associates is divided into two main divisions, Organizational Psychology and Health Psychology, and currently serves a diverse portfolio of clients in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, and the UK. Please log on to http://www.minesandassociates.com for the latest news and information on MINES & Associates.

Source

Source: Parlay International ©2009

Printer-friendly version

Newsletter back issues