Mid-Year Caregiver Check-In: Reflect, Reset & Recharge
The days, weeks, and months fly by — before you know it, you’re celebrating the end of the year. As care partners, the lack of control over our day is hard. We can have everything planned out, only for an unexpected, health issue to arise. A lof of the time, it feels like we’re taking one step forward and three steps back.
My granddaughters were recently in town for two weeks, and every day I spent with them was filled with activities (and plenty of Taylor Swift music). The girls have visited each summer for over 10 years, but this was the year I fully realized that I’m not as young as I used to be, I was not able to juggle as many balls as I could in the past. That is what encouraged me to give myself a much needed mid-year check-in.
A caregiver check-in is not a task to check off a list, but rather a time to reflect on where you’re at, reset, and make plans to recharge.
Reflect…
Start off by asking yourself the following questions:
Am I taking care of myself physically?
Am I taking care of myself mentally?
Am I taking care of myself spiritually?
What challenges did I overcome in the last 6 months?
What did I want to do that didn’t or couldn’t?
What progress have my loved one and I made together?
What went well that I’m proud of?
What am I grateful for at this point?
Reset…
After reviewing your answers above, take a moment to sit with all that you’ve accomplished, the challenges you’ve faced, and the areas of opportunity for growth. Now is the time to reset for the rest of the year.
After the girls departed, I had to reassess what I’m physically capable of, and how caring for my husband’s needs going forward will fit into that framework. I asked myself:
What change do I need to make to positively impact my caregiving life?
What do I need to do more of?
What brings me joy?
Am I doing too much for my husband, preventing more independence?
Am I trying to do this all alone, or am I asking for help?
What can I do to make the next six months a little easier?
What are some habits that I should continue, eliminate, and/or change?
Recharge…
When I looked back at the past six months, I was tired, but also proud of both my own accomplishments and the progress my husband has made. Each month, changes need to be made for his physical and mental health, but I am happy that we make them together — not always smoothly, but still together.
Tips on how to recharge:
Set aside one day a week to be entirely for yourself. This is for commitments unrelated to carving, spending time with friends, or anything else you deem important for your own wellbeing
Respite care is essential for those providing round the clock physical care. Refer to Chapter 7, Page 189 of Stroke and the Caregiver Chapter 7 for more information.
Take the first hour of every day for yourself. Before the world wakes up, take this time to do whatever you want, whether it be reading, journaling, watching a show, or nothing at all. The day starts with you.