caregivers guide to sanity

What to do to take care of YOU! by Nancy Lamb 2014 Ramblin Lamb Communications

The CareGivers Guideto

Sanity

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presents

What to do to take care of YOU! 2014 Ramblin Lamb Wellness

Who am I? Nancy Lamb

Writer, Project Manager, Business Manager, Health Coach and unplanned Caregiver for over 20 years

Passionate about healthy living, loving, and doing good

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Avoid Caregiver Burnout

Have you ever noticed that somehow what you did out of love suddenly became something you resent? Or that some days you resent things that you naturally do of loving kindness.

Have you ever noticed that suddenly you are tired and everything seems like work?

Where did the joyful fun go?

THATS THE SIGNAL !

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This Guide is for you if:

You are the the one everyone turns to

You feel you are losing yourself

You have lost your happy mode

You want to run away

Because even when you get a short break, you dont fully relax...

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What I want from YOU

Its pretty simple. You have enough on your plate right now. But when you are in a better place, when you again have the time and energy to help others, this is what I ask of you:

Share this Guide with Others. Steer them towards a Caregivers Advocate - like me!

Thats it. Why? Because I did it alone. There was no help, no guide, no support system.

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This Guide will provide

7 Secrets that help you avoid caregiver burnout

7 Tips to get help

7 Secrets to healthy eating

7 Tips to getting your daily needs met

7 tips to avoid caregiver burnout

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This Guide Will not

Make your loved one healthy

Ask you to abandon your loved one

Sell you any service

Sell you any supplements

Make you work harder

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My Background Caregiver for my parents, and now my husband - a steady 20 years if I count the early years.

Trained by a registered nurse in home health care and assistance long before it was a career

20 years writing and teaching self care

AADP Certified Holistic Health Coach

Prior Health and Life Insurance Agency

Business Project Manager, Producer, and Bull Dog8

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My Mission Help caregivers move gracefully through the most challenging of responsibilities - caring for our loved ones without draining ourselves.

Advocate for Patient and Caregiver Support for those with complex, chronic and disabling conditions.

Build Awareness and seek a cure for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encepholomyelitis(CFS / ME)

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My Purpose is

To make your caregiving easier

To help you enjoy more time with your loved ones, minimize the stress, and elevate your vibe.

To nurture you back to healthy living.

To lead you to live through this as best you can

To be there for you so you can be there for others

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Lets Manage Your Tipping Points

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Where Can I Turn for Help

Seek Medical Help - if you are neglecting your own care, now is the time to get it.

Seek a Support Group - I never found one, but often thought I should just start my own.

Seek out Spiritual Help - unaffiliated? No worries, try a yoga, Qi Gong, or meditation class.

KNOW THIS: You are not on your own! Take a deep breath, sit still, breathe, and know.

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Who Can I Call

Friend List

Resource List

Doctors List

Yoga Class Schedule

Meditation scheduled

Me Time Schedule

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My Brother, My Self

If you have a solid relationship with other family members, let them know what is happening.

Establish a good communications base with your family -- email is better than nothing.

Know that Rips in the family fabric at this time are sometimes irreparable. Acceptance frees you emotionally. If needed, find a mediator.

Be honest with yourself about your feelings.

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Family Drama Every single tip I offer is based on my life experience. You cant avoid family drama.

I spent 15 - 20 years caring for my progressively aging parents. I may as well have been an only child. Literally. Ask for family help, but know - if you have to ask they probably wont!

Know this: Its your job to take care of yourself, too. If you can, hire a helper for a day, a week, part time or full time. Yes, You CAN!

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No Regrets Tricked ya! I dont think its possible to not have regrets. I certainly do - and I really just want to change the past. Cant do it! Acceptance is the only solution.

Bottom line is we make the best decisions possible at the time -- and so will you! You cant foresee everything.

If I could do anything over, it would be ? What?

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No Do Overs I have a list of things I would have done differently but the truth is I did what I did for a reason. Every decision was made based on what I knew at the time.

Working with a family delegate, we made several joint decisions. Nothing was easy. Everyone outside has an opinion. It isnt an easy situation. Many life long friendships were torn.

There are no Do Overs in the game of life.

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First Priority Self Care -- Its really simple. If you dont take care of yourself, you will not be there to care for your loved one.

Be Kind to YOU -- because you have to continually nurture yourself. It is not an option. Especially when you are the dutiful daughter who gets all the blame, and none of the glory.

YOU MUST LOVE YOURSELF AS YOU WOULD YOUR BEST FRIEND.

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What is Self Care

Its what you do to feel relief, happiness, joy, and sometimes, just a moment of bliss.

Self care is what you literally do to make sure you can survive.

Self care includes rest, restoration, rejuvenation, and strength building.

Self Care is the time you take to rejuvenate.

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My Secret 7 Must Do Daily Self Care Steps

Daily exercise, yoga, or movement: 20 minutes minimum

Mindfulness Moments:Daily reflections: write or meditate and focus on gratitude, accomplishments, pleasure filled moments. Focus on Breath. Take Time ALONE.

Healthy foods every day even when I dont feel hungry

Sacred Daily Connections: Best is in person, but always a Daily Connections, personal contact, private chat, phone calls, smile exchanges

10 Minute Trip to Light - Daylight, a Happy Lamp, or Visioning

Get out of the house: Drive, Garden, Walk, Coffee

Play every day. Sing. Skip. Laugh. Dance. Create art or make a craft. Doodle.

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Your Personal Self Care Strategy

Please take a moment and make a list of all of the things you love that make you feel just a bit more whole, at peace, or joyful. No less than 10 items and as many as 50.

Place a marker here because we will revisit this later

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My list of nurturing ideas

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My list of nurturing ideas

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My list of nurturing ideas

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Known Self Sabateurs

We all have triggers. Things or people that just set us off. When I gave up smoking, I learned the value of making lists. Things to do. Things to avoid. It was combat and I was going to win the war. Thats where the following list comes from. Here, we look at things you want to avoid - things you want to reframe.

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My list of things to avoid reframe and remember!

1 Its not about me

2 Dont make assumptions

3 Be mindful of each moment

4 No expectations

5 I dont have to have all the answers

6 Understand my feelings are not facts

7 One Day at a Time and First Things First

Samples from my world

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7 unusual keys to sanity1. Get away

2. Laugh

3. Lift Heavy things

4. Sweat

5. Cook a wonderful meal

6. Dig in the Dirt

7. Dance - put on your favorite music and dance!

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Got to Get Away Everyone needs a break. Hire a helper and get away. Just DO IT.

Go somewhere, do something, or do nothing

Do something new for a new perspective

Get a new view

Get out and see life as if its a new u