Being the primary caregiver for a loved one in hospice or palliative care can, at times, weigh heavily on your own mental and physical health. The challenges of advocating for your loved one while also trying to take care of yourself can be overwhelming, and it can be difficult to find time to recharge and regroup. Even though it can feel like a lower priority, finding moments to prioritize your mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing is incredibly important as the caregiver of someone in hospice in order to maintain your own health and properly care for your loved one. In doing so, you’ll not only support yourself, but you’ll be a better caregiver to and support system for your loved one.  

The Importance of Prioritizing Your Well-being as the Caregiver of a Hospice Patient

Taking time to focus on your own physical, mental, and spiritual well-being while acting as a hospice caregiver  can feel like a Herculean task. You may feel like focusing on your own needs is selfish, or that the time you spend taking care of your own health pulls you away from your loved one for too long and you may miss something. This is a completely normal reaction to such a highly emotional and stressful situation as being the caregiver of a hospice patient.

However, it’s important to remember that if you take the time to eat a healthy meal, meditate, or go for a walk, it does wonders for your wellness so you can give more of yourself to caring for your loved one. 

How to Support on Your Health as the Caregiver of a Hospice Patient

There are many different things you can do to take care of your overall health and wellness that won’t also monopolize precious time with your loved one. If you’re struggling to remember to take a few minutes for yourself, you can set a calendar reminder or an alarm to help you. 

Here are some suggestions for how to take time for your health and wellness to be the best caregiver you can be: 

  • Exercise & eat healthy – exercising regularly and eating a healthy, balanced diet can help alleviate stress and anxiety, and increase your energy to help you make it through long days.
  • Hydrate – It’s a small thing, but staying hydrated is important for nearly all bodily functions. Water transports nutrients, helps digestion, and keeps our muscles and joints healthy. Keep a water bottle around as much as you can throughout the day or consider getting a water bottle with hourly drinking goals marked along the side.
  • Spend time outside – Many studies have shown that being in nature helps regulate stress in your body and recharges you. Exercise outside when possible, and, if not, open some windows or doors to let in the fresh air. It helps not only you, but your loved one as well.
  • Practice deep breathing and meditation – Don’t forget about your mental health when caring for a loved one in hospice care. The emotional stress from being a primary caregiver can overwhelm you and affect your physical health. Carving out time (even 5 or 10 minutes) to do some deep breathing and meditation can regulate the chemicals in your brain and lower stress to help you refocus and to keep you grounded.
  • Sleep – Make sure you’re getting as much sleep as you’re able every day. Some days will be better than others, but it’s important not to skimp on sleep. Sleeping allows your body to recharge and reset. If you can take a 30-minute nap during the day, do so.
  • Talk to someone – No one should have to go through the overwhelming task of caring for a loved one on their end-of-life journey alone. Along with everything else we list here, taking the time to talk with someone about your concerns, fears, and anxieties is extremely important.

Along with the suggestions above, one major thing that can relieve some of the load and help you and avoid burnout is simply asking for help. As a primary caregiver, it can be hard to allow others to take the wheel for a while, but it is one of the key things that will make the rest of our suggestions work. Ask a fellow family member or loved one to take over for a day while you run errands, sit down to eat a meal, or exercise. 

How Heart to Heart Hospice Supports Caregivers and Families

One of the benefits of hospice care is that it focuses not only on patient care but serves families and caregivers of hospice patients as well. Heart to Heart Hospice provides volunteers, social workers, spiritual care coordinators, and aides who can help with spiritual and emotional services, household chores, caregiver responsibilities, and more. Utilize these special services and resources as much as you’re able so you can have time to refresh and recharge and, ultimately, cherish the precious time with your loved one as your best self.