Think about how important it was to you as a teen to have a safe place to yourself where you could block out the world, listen to your favorite music, and pour your woes into your diary. The need for privacy that began then remains crucial to our wellbeing throughout our lives – especially when meeting the care needs of a loved one.
Prioritizing privacy as a caregiver can easily be compromised when you provide care for someone else. Yet it’s still extremely important to be able to separate yourself both mentally and physically from your caregiving role to take time for yourself.
How Can I Prioritize Privacy as a Caregiver?
The truth is, it can be quite challenging . As a caregiver, it’s natural to feel the need to keep an eye on the person you care for at all times. There are several steps you can take to help, however. Try:
- Agreeing on a set of house rules. In shared living spaces, come up with some basic rules of etiquette that are fair for everybody. For instance, take turns choosing television shows to watch, so one person isn’t monopolizing the remote. Compromises such as this will make time together less stressful for everyone.
- Establishing private spaces for yourself and the person you care for. After all, they need privacy just as much as you do. Agree that whenever either of you needs some alone time, you can retreat to your chosen spot and only interrupt one another in the event of an emergency.
- Remembering your emotional privacy as well. Be sure to take frequent breaks from care that enable you time to disconnect completely from your care role. Go on holidays, attend events and activities with other family members and friends, or take a magazine to the park for an enjoyable afternoon. Golden Harmony’s care experts are always readily available to fill your caregiving shoes while you devote some time to self-care.
Special Considerations for Dementia
If you care for someone with dementia, prioritizing privacy as a caregiver is even more important. The person may require 24/7 oversight to ensure safety, but this does not mean that you should (or can) provide that amount of care yourself.
Many caregivers feel like there is no one else in their circle who knows what it takes to care for someone with dementia or who knows the senior well enough to assist. This is when our highly trained and experienced dementia caregivers are an invaluable part of your care team. We can partner with you to ensure the seamless, skilled, reliable care a person with dementia needs, as you take the regular breaks from care you need.
Contact us online or at 919-426-7522 to get more caregiving tips and assistance in acquiring a healthy life balance. Our individualized home care services are offered in Raleigh, Cary, Wake Forest, and the surrounding areas.