LiVeWell Senior's Health A NEWSLETTER WITH IMPORTANT HEALTH INFORMATION FOR SENIORS November is National Family Caregiver Month November 2016 Most of us at some point in our lives are caregivers. We are the daughters, wives, husbands, sons, grand children, nieces, nephews, partners and friends. Most families already rely on these unpaid caregivers. With the 65+ age group expected to double by the year 2030 to 70 million people, all the recent medical advances, which shorten hospital stays, and increase life spans plus the shortage of health care workers worsen matters further. All these impacts the increase responsibilities of health care on families. Most caregivers are not trained for the responsibilities they are required to take on. This can be over whelming, but can also be very rewarding. If you are new to caregiving here are a few tips to help you be a loving caregiver and maintain your own health at the same time. Do your research on your loved ones illness or disability. The more you know the less stress you will ex perience as you care for your family member. Seek out other caregivers for a support system. It helps to know you are not alone. Trust you gut. You know your family member best. Don't ignore what the doc tors and specialist tell you but follow your instincts. Encourage your loved one to do as much as they can for themselves. Allow them to be as independent as possible and know your own limits. Be honest with yourself about how much you can give without compromising your own health. Get other people in volved! There will be a host of emotions both good and bad that you will experience as a caregiver. It's im portant to acknowledge and accept what you are feeling. Anger, fear, resentment, guilt, helplessness, and grief are all real feelings that are natural, they don t mean that you do not love your family member, they simply mean you are human. It's important to talk about these feelings with someone, don't hold them inside, it's okay to "vent". Be aware of and care for your own needs too. Ask for help and keep others informed of the daily rou tines so they can fill in" as you need them. Take time to relax every day, keep a journal of your thoughts, feelings, pray, meditate, stay social, eat a balanced diet, get a good nights sleep and watch out for signs of depression or burn out. Seek professional help if you need it. There are services in your community to help caregivers. These include; support groups, adult daycare, respite care, home-delivered meals, transportation services, skilled nursing and many more. With good information and outside support, caring for a loved one ¨ can bring pleasure to you and the one you are caring for. Intermountain McKay-Dee Hospital (Source Helpguide.org, Wikipedia.org)