Self care tips
Caring for a person with a chronic illness or a disability can be a full-time job in itself. It is easy to forget your own needs, wants and goals which can be detrimental to your own well-being as a carer.
There are excellent resources available for parents caring for a child with a Chronic illness or disability. The Association for Children with a Disability have excellent resources, including a new book titled 'Helping you and Your Family' (dowload your free copy of the booklet in PDF). Another resource titled 'There's no such thing as a silly question' (download a free on-line copy in PDF) produced jointly by interACT, Very Special Kids and Gandel Charitable Trust, offers tips on how to keep life balance and look after yourself and the rest of the family while being a carer.
Some tips directly quoted from the book 'There's no such thing as a silly question" include:
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Keep as well as possible, to avoid minor illnesses which may add extra pressure to the family. Looking after yourself will better enable you to continue to look after others.
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Eat well-balanced meals where possible.
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Exercise regularly: walk, swim, or use equipment at home. Balance this however with rest whenever possible.
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Access respite options.
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Get adequate sleep whenever you can. Sleep deprivation may compound existing stress. You may be able to schedule some sleep time while someone else watches your child, perhaps a carer or your partner.
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Role sharing at home can allow each person time to attend to their own needs such as rest, work or leisure activities.
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Consider talking to other parents who are in a similar situation, as this may help to reduce feelings of isolation. You may also find support groups helpful, either on the Internet, or in the community.
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Spending time with friends is important for emotional well-being.
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List some achievable priorities for each day, week or month, or year. For example:
Daily: a 10-minute coffee break, a walk around the block...
Weekly: a visit to a friend, some time in the garden, a game of tennis...
Monthly: a manicure, an evening out with your partner...
Yearly: a weekend away, a trip to the snow, a bit family get together...
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Set aside some time to spend with your partner, your children, or your whole family, no matter how brief. Plan some fun things to look forward to. This will help to maintain the bonds within the family.
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Ask for help when needed.
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Accept support when offered, especially if it is helpful.
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Identify areas of life where you are overcommitted, and consider reducing your involvement or delegating tasks to relieve pressure.
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You may be eligible to apply to your local council for a Disability Parking Permit. This will enable you to use parking bays designated for people with disabilities.
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Take time out for yourself: retail therapy, pampering yourself, keeping a journal, craftwork, playing sport, catching up with friends.