Young caregiver

Taking care of a family member isn’t easy, especially if you’re a young caregiver. It’s a lot of responsibility, and you can start to feel like your life isn’t yours anymore. But caregiving is important, and your help makes a big difference.

In this video, we’ll tell you about some of the things that can be tough for young caregivers, and give you tips on how to deal with them.

The hardest part for a lot of young caregivers is the huge amount of time it takes. With all the stuff you need to do, you’ll probably have way less free time.

The good news is, if you manage your time well and stick to a schedule, you can get it all done. Once you find your groove your daily caregiving tasks will start to go quicker, which means more time for yourself.

Your social life could also take a hit. Alt for translation: Your social life could also decline. You may get so wrapped up in your caregiving that you don’t see your friends for days, or even weeks. But that doesn’t mean you should never go out! Seeing your friends will make you happy, and being happy will make you a better caregiver.

And listen up because this is important: don’t do all your socializing on your phone! Sitting by yourself in the dark and texting will only make you feel more isolated. Facebook is nowhere near as valuable as being face to face in real-time so go hang out in person once in a while, ok?

After you’ve been a caregiver for a while, you might start to feel guilty even when you haven’t done anything wrong. Some people feel guilty just because they’re healthy and the person they’re caring for isn’t. That’s not fair!

And don’t feel bad if you want to take time out for yourself once in a while; it’s absolutely normal to feel that way…

If you do start to feel guilty, we have another video on the guilt that you might find helpful.

It’s normal for caregivers to be worried and stressed out once in a while. You’ve got a ton of stuff on your plate, and sometimes it can feel like too much to handle. There are some really easy things you can do, like breathing exercises, that will help a lot when you get stressed. You might be surprised how much better just taking a few deep breaths can make you feel.

A lot of young caregivers feel like they’re trapped in a situation they didn’t ask for. You might think you’re a prisoner in your own house because you’re afraid that if you leave, something bad will happen to the person you’re caring for. Chances are things will be just fine if you take an hour away to recharge. And if you’re really worried, why not ask someone else to take over for you while you’re out?

You’ll probably notice that being a caregiver can make you feel totally drained. There’s always something to do, and you might not have a lot of chances to slow down. You need to make sure that you get enough sleep every night though because being tired can make it hard to focus and make you a worse caregiver.

The number one thing to remember about being a caregiver is that you don’t have to suffer in silence. It’s okay to talk about your feelings, even if you think that they’re embarrassing. Your friends and family know what a big sacrifice you’re making, and they want to support you however they can.

Even though there are a lot of things about caregiving that is hard, there are good things too. It will bring you closer to the person you’re caring for, and it’ll make you feel like you’re doing something worthwhile.

So if you follow our tips and stay ready for the challenges ahead, you’ll be able to handle them all like a champion.

Be sure to visit our website for more caregiver support and resources.