How to meet your ageing caregivers without compromising your own care

Caregiver – Are you taking care of an ageing parent? Has your Mom or Dad moved in with you?

Do you have kids at home and are you now the sandwich generation, balancing two worlds. It’s very easy to become overwhelmed

When a person becomes the caregiver for a parent there are now different roles to what there have been in the past and the child becomes the caregiver. Sometimes there is full-time care needed and other times the caregiver is still working.

Caregiving is also one of the toughest and most stressful jobs you’ll ever have. That’s why it’s so easy for caregivers to get burned out or suffer serious health conditions.

Tips to prevent burnout

Aromatherapy care – incorporate aromatherapy into your life every day.
Traditional healers have often used essential oils from plants to calm, soothe and boost immunity. Scientists have shown the aromas from essential oils actually do work to create physical and emotional benefits that can be documented.

Aromatherapy oils are powerful — a simple odour can immediately trigger a powerful memory, place, or person. Scents have the power to evoke emotions and memories instantly and can directly impact our bodies through our nervous system

Lack of sleep often sleep is disturbed as you care for your loved one. Diffuse essential oils of sweet marjoram, roman chamomile and lavender at your bedside or take an aromatherapy bath before bed.

Depression

Depression Feelings of despair are very common when a person has been a long time caregiver. Make a roller blend of clary sage and grapefruit and apply to your solar plexus
You may be experiencing anxiety and uncertainty because you don’t know what will happen next. Take a bath with a blend of sweet marjoram and lavender and feel soothed and relaxed.

Are you feeling sadness and grief for all that you’ve both already lost? Mix 3 drops of rose essential oil into a tablespoon of coconut oil and apply to your chest.

If you are experiencing anger that you’ve been forced to take on so much responsibility, take an aromatherapy bath with essential oils of Ylang-ylang, lavender and mandarin or diffuse in an aromatic diffusor.

Care for the Caregiver

  • Find an outlet for intense feelings that can occur – perhaps exercise at home on an exercise bike
  • Every week try to take a break – Ask family or friends to help with your senior while you’re taking a break or in addition hire some on for a few hours and go for an aromatherapy massage.
  • If you cannot leave the home, at least take short breaks go outside and take a deep breath and visualize yourself at a beautiful beach
  • Have an aromatic diffuser on the room with oils of marjoram, lavender, and bergamot.
  • If you can take time to cultivate a meditation practice. This will help to be calm and centred amidst all the difficult times.
  • Support your adrenals with Rhodiola, ashwagandha and black spruce essential oil.

Caring for your loved one can be stressful, but taking the necessary steps to care for yourself will help you to avoid burnout.

Linda Anne Kahn CLT-LANA, Clinical Aromatherapist, Integrative Health Coach
Beauty Kliniek Aromatherapy Day Spa www.beautykliniek.com