Give Yourself the Gift of Self-Care!

Hello everyone,

You’ve spent the year working hard to care for your residents, and we want to be sure you are also taking care of yourselves. While it can be extremely rewarding, being a caregiver for people with dementia is also one of the most stressful jobs there is, and often takes a physical, mental and emotional toll. In addition, the quality of your care for others depends on your own wellness, which is another reason to make self-care a priority.

Just as you care for your residents with dementia in different ways based on their preferences, we also differ from each other in how we best achieve calm and relaxation. Some may like to meditate to de-stress, while others find exercise to be helpful. Popular meditation apps like “Headspace” and “Calm” can be purchased and downloaded to your phone so you can mediate on breaks or after work. One highly rated free meditation app is called “Insight Timer”: https://insighttimer.com/

Breathing exercises can also help with stress relief. Here’s an article from WebMD with some relaxing breathing techniques to try:

https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-relief-breathing-techniques#1

Exercise is another great way to de-stress and re-energize, but it can be hard to break the cycle of “I’m too tired to exercise, so I won’t.” In fact, exercise can help boost your energy, relieve stress and improve your mood. Here’s a set of five exercises you can do in your living room:

https://scrubsmag.com/5-daily-exercises-for-nurses-to-improve-strength-and-flexibility/

Want to learn more about self-care? We are excited to announce our next free webinar on January 17th at 11 a.m. The topic will be Give yourself the Gift of Self-Care.

Kelly Doran, PhD, RN will be our presenter. She is an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing and director of health and wellness at Paul’s Place.  She is an expert in behavior change research with particular emphasis in exercise, diet, sleep, and stress interventions delivered at worksites.  Over the past eight years she has conducted studies within long-term care facilities to help staff increase engagement in heart healthy behaviors. Dr. Doran will share some practical ways to manage stress at the work, as well as tips for improving diet and getting exercise.

We encourage you to join the webinar live on January 17th! Everyone who attends live will have a chance to win a prize! The webinar will be recorded as well, so that those who cannot attend live can view at their leisure. Click on the link below to register:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7858167118229696001

Have a great week!

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