O-W-L Optimal Wellness Lifestyle

CAREGIVERS: HOW DO YOU SPELL RELIEF?

Hey you!

Yeah, family caregiver I’m talking to you! Tell me, How do you spell relief? Did you wake up this morning to find the little gremlins of distress lurking at your door giving you the blues?

Are you about ready to send out an “SOS” or “May-Day” call for rescue because you are feeling overwhelmed? Well, how about taking a moment to turn that distress into “Eustress” or positive stress and start living an OPTIMAL WELLNESS LIFESTYLE.

What is O-W-L and how do you get it? You can start by changing your negative situation into a positive one with a wellness lifestyle plan that can be of benefit to both you and your loved one.

Caring for a family member with a terminal illness such as Alzheimers/dementia or advanced stage cancer can be very difficult and demanding. As care-providers we are constantly faced with unexpected issues and problems that can leave us with frazzled nerves and totally drained of energy.

At Caregivers Wellness Connection my goal is to share helpful tips, tools, techniques and resources on ways to be more proactive about personal health issues. Many experts now agree, that in order for you to be effective in caring for someone else, you need to remember the old metaphor: “Put on your own oxygen mask first”

In my journey as a caregiver, I found wellness, contrary to popular belief, is not just about diet and exercise, although they play a very important role in the equation. But wellness also includes the financial, spiritual, social, mental and emotional states of mind that can also impact your health.

But, maintaining a wellness lifestyle is a process, and the more we learn and continue to grow, the more we can create a healthier, happier environment and quality of life for our family members and ourselves.

I think it’s safe to say, as caregivers, we’ve all had “one of those days” where everything that can go wrong, does go wrong and more - and if you haven’t had the experience yet, just stay tuned.

But, since we are the gate keepers for our family members care, it’s my feeling that a wellness lifestyle is a requirement, rather than a choice for caregivers coping with stressful situations. Studies have shown caregivers often tend to let their own health slide while taking care of others, and I know this is true because I was guilty.

So, how are you doing in these areas? Here’s a quick check list:

Do you try to get at least seven to nine hours of restful sleep at night?

Do you take time for your spiritual faith needs with meditation and/or prayer?

Are you eating three balanced meals daily?

If you’re not keeping up with your own health, maybe it’s time to rethink your daily schedule. As primary care-providers, mastering the art of time management is essential to developing a total wellness plan.

Learning to take time to recharge, reenergize and regroup in order to keep on course is necessary not only for those we care for, but for our own survival. Because, if we get off course by neglecting any of these important areas of our health and wellness, we can soon find ourselves headed for trouble, when we are least prepared for it, and that can have a stressful impact on the entire family.

As caregivers, we need to develop our own pattern of health and wellness, and cultivate a frame of mind that will keep both the care provider, and the family member we are caring at the peak of radiant health as long as possible.

And my continued goal and purpose of the website is to share information, tips, tools, resources and encouragement for fellow home-care providers, to make life a little easier, happier, and more fulfilling for those we love and ourselves and also keeping ahead of the game as we move through our individual journeys in life.

Be Well - Stay Well -Because Caregivers Need Care Too!!

Coach Gloria

Gloria J. Brown -

Life Strategies/Wellness Coach & Patient Advocate

Owner: GJ Brown & Associates

Blog: Glo’s Caregiver Wellness Connection

Email: gbrown1gjba@gmail.com

Website: coachglozcaregiverwellness.com