It isn’t the worst thing in the world if you make a mistake as a caregiver. In fact, you probably make tons of small mistakes all the time and just don’t realize it. Here’s how you can help yourself to get over it.
It Really Is Okay
The first thing you need to know, even if the mistake feels like a massive one, is that it really is okay. Almost every mistake is something that can be fixed. Even if it can’t be, chances are that you didn’t make a mistake that was malicious or awful. If you can find a way to let yourself off the hook while still learning from what happened, that’s optimal.
Shaming Yourself Won’t Help
The one thing you don’t want to do is to create a sense of shame for yourself around the mistake. Guilt, regret, and shame are not great teachers. They can actually be rather paralyzing for most people, so if you start to worry you’ll mess up again, you might do something worse instead. You have to find a way to get past your feelings about what happened.
This Might Be Your Indication to Take a Break
Believe it or not, your mistakes can be your best teachers. And one lesson that caregivers often need to learn is that they can’t do this on their own and they need to take time away. If you haven’t been taking breaks from caregiving, now is the time. Hire elder care providers to take over for you and take an afternoon or two away from caregiving on the whole. You’ll come back refreshed and less likely to be making mistakes at all.
It’s Going to Happen Again at Some Point
Believe it or not, you’re going to make more mistakes. They might be big ones or they might be small ones, but they’re going to happen. You can make peace with that now and save yourself a lot of time and energy. If you’re doing the best that you can do, that’s all anyone can ask of you. Keep learning how to do better as a caregiver and you’re going to be doing better than you think you are.
Making mistakes doesn’t feel good, but it definitely happens. As a caregiver, you’re trying to do the best that you can for your elderly family member. You’re doing that with the information and the resources that you have on hand right now and that’s why you’re constantly learning and expanding.
If you or an aging loved one is considering elderly care in Sedalia, CO, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare today at 303-953-9924.
