Diabetes Caregiving: Helping a Loved One, Chapter 7: Looking After Yourself Too
Making Time for Your Own Health
Plan your own checkups and one small, enjoyable healthy habit while you care for someone else.
Plan ways to look after your own health while caring for someone else.
Caregivers often face more depression, anxiety and sleep problems than other people.
So your own health needs care too. Book the checkups, dental visits and health screenings you have put off. A checkup is like a tune-up for the car you drive each day.
When you book, tell the office that you are a caregiver.
Pick one small habit you enjoy, like a short walk. Tie it to a routine you already have.
Give it about three weeks. Aim for about 80 percent of days, not a perfect run. Missed days happen, so keep going.
Ask your doctor before you make big changes to food or activity.
A paper calendar for one week, Monday to Sunday. Checks appear on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, while Wednesday and Saturday stay blank, never more than two blank days in a row. At the end, a magnifying glass moves along the week to look back.
Key takeaways
- Your own health deserves a place on the calendar too.
- Tell your doctor about your caregiving role when you book.
- One small habit you enjoy, tied to your routine, is easier to keep.
Try it
Write down one visit you have put off and one enjoyable walk, then book that visit this week.