You heard this before: Caring for the caregiver...

Just wanted to share something I just found on the Caring Today website:

Putting Yourself First
Most caregivers are better at caring for others than themselves, says Tammy Pozerycki, MS, LSW, a social worker and director of admissions at Eliot Healthcare Center in Natick, Massachusetts. When your priority is the person you're caring for instead of yourself, it's only natural that you let some things slide. But problems arise when you start skipping your own doctor appointments and abandoning healthy eating, sleeping and exercise habits. This is especially problematic for live-in caregivers, she says. "For these folks, caregiving has gone way beyond a full-time job: It's 24/7."

"It sounds harsh, but I tell people this: If you don't take care of yourself, you're going to die," says Schultz. "We know that a big percentage of caregivers over the age of 55 will die before the person they're caring for—and not because of some pre-existing condition. It's because they stop taking care of themselves."


This is good advice for caregivers of any age, adds June Lundy, a counselor at East Valley Regional Cancer Center in Chandler, Arizona. "It's just like they tell you on the airplane: You have to put the oxygen on yourself first before you help someone else."

Please check the following sites for more information on Alzheimer's and Caregiving for Alzheimer's

www.easycaregiving.com
www.caregiverrelief.wordpress.com
www.caregiverrelief.com