{"id":219,"date":"2020-01-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/synergyhomecare.com\/ga-villa-rica-30180\/2020\/01\/01\/family-caregivers-finding-the-courage-to-ask-for-help-when-you-need-it\/"},"modified":"2020-01-01T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-01-01T00:00:00","slug":"family-caregivers-finding-the-courage-to-ask-for-help-when-you-need-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/synergyhomecare.com\/ga-douglasville-30135\/knowledge-center\/family-caregivers-finding-the-courage-to-ask-for-help-when-you-need-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Family Caregivers: Finding the Courage to Ask for Help When You Need It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

Family Caregivers: Finding the Courage to Ask for Help When You Need It<\/h1>\n

\n

Many words can be used to describe the role of a family caregiver, but \u201ceasy\u201d is not one of them. Caregiving is demanding and stressful, yet if done right, it can be incredibly rewarding.\u00a0Unfortunately, many family caregivers\u00a0neglect to recognize their personal limitations and they set unrealistic goals about the amount of care they can provide. Having impractical expectations in combination with an unhealthy attitude towards the acceptance of help is the quickest way to end up chronically stressed and on the road to caregiver burnout. When\u00a0you notice your role as a family caregiver is affecting your quality of life, it\u2019s important to take a step back and recognize you need help. Asking for help when you need it is not about giving up or passing the burden to someone else, nor is it an indicator of how much you care. Finding the courage to ask for help is about understanding how the quality of care you provide for someone else is directly impacted by the care you provide for yourself.<\/p>\n

The Truth About Asking For Help<\/h2>\n

Family<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>caregivers<\/strong>, also referred to as \u201cinformal\u201d caregivers, are people who\u00a0are responsible for attending to the needs of a family member, life partner, or\u00a0friend.\u00a0They\u00a0provide physical, emotional, and sometimes even financial support to the loved one who is unable to care for him or herself due to illness, injury, or disability. Family caregivers usually provide this care without pay.<\/p>\n

The reality for many family caregivers is they were unaware of how demanding the job would be. For some, the caregiving role happened abruptly, leaving little time to prepare. And although others saw it coming, they underestimated the amount of work that would be required of them. Regardless of whether becoming a caregiver was foreseeable, it is nearly impossible to do alone. This is especially true for loved ones who require \u2019round the clock care. Even when you are caring for someone who doesn\u2019t require extensive care, the job is difficult. It is impossible to effectively care for another person without taking the time to properly care for yourself. In order to do so, you will need to ask for assistance and know it\u2019s okay to seek out and ask for help when you need it.<\/p>\n

[Tweet \u201cIt\u2019s okay to seek out and ask for help when you need it.\u201d]<\/p>\n

There is a common misconception around the idea of asking for help. Many caregivers\u00a0are reticent\u00a0to ask for assistance because they view it as a sign of weakness or inadequacy. That idea could not be further from the truth. Asking for help demonstrates not only the acceptance of one\u2019s own limitations, but it also brings to light the possession of admirable traits \u2013 including the following:<\/p>\n

Honesty\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Asking for help demonstrates the ability, to be honest with both yourself and the person you are caring for. This honesty helps sustain and can possibly even improve your relationship.<\/p>\n

Responsibility<\/strong><\/p>\n

Taking the time to figure out how much you can take on and what jobs are better left to the professionals\u00a0requires a great deal of responsibility. As a family caregiver,\u00a0the quality of another person\u2019s life is in your hands. It is your responsibility to ensure your loved one gets\u00a0care suited to their needs.<\/p>\n

Humble<\/strong><\/p>\n

Accepting help shows the ability to remain humble. Family caregivers need breaks\u00a0just like anyone else.<\/p>\n

Courage<\/strong><\/p>\n

Having the courage to ask for help when you need it indicates you are willing to do what is right regardless of your personal feelings.<\/p>\n

Many times, family caregivers refuse help or fail to seek out help because they possess an unfavorable attitude towards help, especially paid help.\u00a0Because of their strong \u201cfamily takes care of family\u201d mentality, they refuse to recognize outside help as an option. That may have been acceptable when women were\u00a0defined by society as caretakers, but times have changed and it is usually unrealistic to have someone provide 24\/7 care.<\/p>\n

When to Ask For Help<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s important to know\u00a0<\/span>when<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>to ask for help. The best time to reach out is before you feel too stressed, a feeling known as caregiver stress. If you are new to being a family caregiver, you may not be able to realize when you are approaching this point, but as time goes on you will be able to tell when you are reaching your limit. If you miss it, the second-best time to reach out for help is as soon as you start experiencing the symptoms associated with caregiver stress.<\/p>\n

10 common symptoms of caregiver stress indicating it may be time to call for backup include:<\/p>\n