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Family Caregivers: Thinking Positively for Better Health in the New Year

Family Caregivers in Knightdale, NC

Family Caregivers-in-Knightdale-NCIf there is one thing that you can expect in the unpredictability of being on an elder care journey with your aging loved ones it is that you will encounter difficult situations, stressful issues, and challenges that you may never have imagined that you would have to face, let alone resolve. When you are going through these difficult things, however, it is important to remember that positive thinking can be one of your greatest tools in not only getting through the challenges that you are facing, but in keeping your mental and emotional health at its best and supporting a higher quality of life throughout your aging years.

With the new year just starting, now is a fantastic opportunity for you to focus on the positive things in life and in your care journey, and take steps to help your parents think positively as well.

According to the Mayo Clinic, there are a wide variety of potential health benefits to positive thinking, including:

  • Lower overall feelings of stress and anxiety
  • Reduced risk of developing and dying from cardiovascular disease
  • Lower risk of developing depression
  • Increased resistance to common illnesses and infections such as colds and flu
  • Better coping skills which can lead to easier and more confident problem solving
  • Longer lifespan

Thinking positively also helps you relate better to other people, which may make you more approachable and could increase the chances that people will be willing to offer you the help that you need when you need it. As a family caregiver, this can be exceptionally beneficial.

Try these ways, and share them with your parents and their referred caregiver so that they can also enjoy the benefits in their own lives, to integrate more positive thinking into your elder care journey in the new year and throughout the rest of your care experience:

  • Practice healthy self-talk. Self-talk does not necessarily mean carrying on a conversation with yourself. Instead, this is all of those thoughts, ideas, and messages that roll through your head at any given point during the day. It is easy for these to become negative and leave you feeling depressed, discouraged, and hopeless. Instead, actively work toward healthy, positive self-talk.
  • Use affirmations to push positive thoughts through your mind throughout the day, and any time you find yourself engaging in negative self-talk, stop yourself, eliminate the negative thought, and resolve it with a positive affirmation. For example, if you find yourself thinking “I am so out of shape”, stop yourself and think “but I am working on improving that and progressing every day.”
  • Appreciate beauty. Beauty is everywhere around you, and if you take the time to stop to appreciate it, you may be surprised at just how much you can discover. Make an effort to appreciate the little things in life that you may overlook, such as the beauty of nature, how wonderful a breeze feels, or how nice it is when your partner surprises you with a kiss. Use this appreciation to fuel you into a positive path of thinking.
  • Let it go. Embrace that there are time when you are not in control and you are not going to be able to change a situation. Be willing to accept this and let go of your negativity and catastrophizing.

Source

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/tips-help-you-think-more-positively.html
http://mentalhealth.about.com/library/sci/0802/bloptomist802.htm

If you or an aging loved one are considering non-medical in-home care in Raleigh, NC, call Griswold Home Care and speak to one of our caring staff members today. Call (919) 229-8944

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