How Realistic Is Your Self-Care Plan?

By Kevin Edwards | January 23, 2019 |

How Realistic Is Your Self-Care Plan?

Home Care Service Shawnee KS – How Realistic Is Your Self-Care Plan?

By Kevin Edwards, President

When you first think about setting up a self-care plan for yourself as a caregiver, you might make it a wish list of sorts. The problem with that is you’re less likely to actually meet your goals that way. A realistic self-care plan allows you to get what you need and make progress later.

You’re Eating Moderately Healthy Foods Regularly

Nobody eats the perfect diet every single day. But if you’re trying to eat healthier, that means that you’re consciously making choices at every meal that give you a fighting chance. Eating regularly also means that you’re not letting your blood sugar drop too low and then spike it with sugar and other carbs that might give you a huge burst of energy. You want slower food sources of energy consistently so that they can keep you going.

You’re Moving a Little Bit More

Exercise helps you to sleep better and it gives you an energy boost. You’ll also start craving healthier foods, which helps with the sleep and energy. The thing is that you don’t have to embark on a huge exercise plan, either. You can start out just moving a little bit more every day and that can be enough to help you realistically take better care of yourself and of your senior family member.

You’ve Hired Home Care Servces Providers

Hiring home care services providers is a huge part of any self-care plan for yourself, but it’s equally part of caring for your elderly family member. They can take over tasks, spend time with your aging family member, and do so much more. In the meantime, you can take that time and spend it on yourself. Respite care should be a big part of your self-care so that you can come back ready to go again.

You Have a Support System

You also need to have people around that love you and are there for you when you need someone to lean on. Your emotional health needs you to manage your feelings and that can often happen most effectively with a strong support system. If you don’t already have one, you can build one with friends, family members, and even other caregivers that you meet in support groups.

When you’re approaching care, both of yourself and of your senior family member, from a realistic standpoint, you’re going to be able to maintain that plan. When it’s a difficult plan to keep up with, it’s going to fall by the wayside and then it won’t do you any good at all.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering Home Care Services in the Shawnee KS area, please contact the caring staff at Elder Care of Kansas City, today. Proudly serving Jackson, Clay, Platte and Cass Counties in Missouri as well as Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas for over 30 years. Call us at 816-333-3322.

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Kevin Edwards

Owner at Elder Care of Kansas City

Kevin’s life and the lives of his immediate family have been impacted by caregivers – either as a patient or a caregiver - for as long as he can remember.He watched his mother take care of his grandmother until her death at the age of 97.Five years later, his father passed from a neurological disorder that was subsequently confirmed as Lewy Body Dementia.In 2007, his wife, Lori, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.The symptoms of Lori’s disease required Kevin to hire a caregiver during the periods of her relapses.

Prior to purchasing Elder Care, Kevin spent over 20 years in the health insurance industry.In his most recent position, he was in a financial operations role with Humana where he worked with doctors, nurses and other health professionals developing programs to keep Humana members healthy.Their focus on primary care and medication adherence improved the lives of thousands of seniors in Kansas City and the surrounding area.

Kevin and his wife, Lori, have three children.Kevin has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Missouri.