Vacations Can Recharge Caregivers

America is known for its hard workers. The Center for Economic Policy and Research gave it a nickname–“No Vacation Nation”–in a study that examined paid vacation time in 21 wealthy countries. No surprise, America ranks last in the legally required number of paid vacation days and holidays.

There are plenty of downsides to those facts. For example, one study showed that working more than 55 hours a week is associated with a 35% higher risk of stroke. That health risk persists even after a person stops working 55 hours a week. And that data doesn’t even account for unpaid labor like family caregivers. Caregivers deserve vacations, too!

Right at Home of Northern Michigan franchise owner Jim Gall understands the needs of family caregivers. “Family caregiving is both physically demanding and time consuming,” he says. “To be a good caregiver you have to take care of yourself, especially if you are doing it on top of a job.” The worst-case scenario, he explains, is that a caregiver neglects their own health to the point that they can no longer provide care. “Having a break is good for long-term caregiving,” Jim adds.

Vacation time offers many health benefits, including:

• Increases mindfulness: The act of breaking your normal routine forces you out of “autopilot” and makes your brain focus more on your surroundings.
• Improves heart health: Taking regular vacations is associated with a decreased risk of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of health issues that raise the risk of heart disease.
• Reduces stress: Time away from your everyday environment removes you from the place you may associate with stress and anxiety.

Those health benefits make you a better caregiver! As the saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup. So why aren’t family caregivers taking the vacations they so obviously deserve?

Family caregivers can face many barriers that prevent them from enjoying a restorative vacation. Here are some of the things that can get in the way, and how to deal with them.

Time. Family caregiving is a demanding job, and rarely does it offer paid time off. And if the caregiver does have another job (as is common) it’s likely that much of any paid time off is used to provide care for their loved ones. Consider hiring professional caregivers or asking other friends or family members to pitch. Be sure to be upfront with other family members about the cost of hiring professional care, and ask them to help.

Money. Budgets can be tight for family caregivers. The AARP reports that family caregivers spend 26% of their income on caregiving activities, and many cut back hours at work to provide care. But a vacation doesn’t need to be extravagant. Ask around for discounts or consider off-season travel. Seek out low-cost activities like museums or national parks. Eating out can be expensive, so plan your meals and pack snacks to keep your vacations in your budget.

Caregiving requirements. Perhaps you have convinced yourself that you are the only person capable of proving care for your loved one in the manner they prefer. Maybe they have a complicated medical history or require high levels of support. But (literally) rest assured, there are capable professionals who are ready to handle whatever care your loved one needs. Respite care is available from skilled nursing facilities, and professional caregivers can come to wherever your loved one needs them. The change of pace and new face may even be enjoyable for them!

Guilt. Guilt is a difficult emotion that is all too common in family caregiving. If the person receiving care is a parent or spouse, it can be extra hard to step away. After all, your mother raised you! Or you pledged an oath to your spouse “in sickness and in health,” so you may feel that taking a break for yourself is selfish or unreasonable. But try and give yourself the grace you would give someone else in your shoes. No one person can do it all alone, and you endanger your own health when you do not take time away from caregiving.

Jim urges his clients to get educated about their loved one’s caregiving needs and anticipate what kind of help might be beneficial. “Before you need help, know the basics of your loved one’s condition.”

Jim has resources for family caregivers to get educated about their loved one’s health conditions and caregiving needs. In Michigan, Medicare covers home health training for family caregivers. The Alzheimer’s Foundation of Northern Michigan has resources to learn about how your loved one’s dementia may progress to help families anticipate what needs may arise.

Caregivers need to care for themselves in order to provide care for a loved one. So take the time to rest up and get away. Right at Home can provide respite care so caregivers can take a break knowing their loved one is in good hands.

“Whether it is spending time with friends or regular hair appointments, just a few hours a week can get your family used to the idea of having someone come in,” Jim says. “That helps build a relationship with the caregiver and the person receiving care.”

That way, you can build up to longer periods of respite. It’s good for your mental and physical health to maintain traditions like spending a weekend away at the family cabin. But it may not be accessible for your loved one. Perhaps it isn’t accessible for a wheelchair, or your relative isn’t capable of travel. Respite care allows you to maintain those family times away with the peace of mind knowing your loved one is being cared for by trained professional caregivers.

Contact Jim at Right at Home to learn more about how you can get started with respite care and set yourself up for a healthy relationship with your family caregiving role.