Give Local York (GLY), York County’s biggest day of giving, is 
- Accept help. Family caregivers often feel as if they should bear the burden of caring for their senior loved one alone. Accepting help, however, can help keep you healthy and make you a better caregiver in the long run. If there aren’t other family members or friends who can help, consider professional resources such as an in-home care agency or an adult day program.
- Healing therapies. Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi are also considered to be healing therapies. In addition to the physical benefits these types of exercise provide, they also help teach participants better breathing techniques. Those can help decrease stress and boost one’s mood. All three are easy to practice in the comfort of your own home.
- Walking. Most people know they should get thirty minutes of daily exercise. But for weary caregivers, this goal may seem unrealistic. The good news, however, is that research shows you can receive the same benefits from breaking exercise down into two fifteen-minute walks or workouts each day.
- Improve nutrition. Caregivers sometimes let their own nutrition suffer while they are caring for a loved one. Try to make an extra effort this year to eat a well-balanced diet. Sites like The Dash Diet and Forks Over Knives offer healthy recipes and nutrition advice for busy people such as caregivers.
- Schedule a physical. When trying to juggle all of the responsibilities of caregiving, family members may neglect their own health and wellness screenings. Try to make time to schedule a physical early in the year, so you can talk with your physician about what you need to do to get your own health back on track.
We hope these suggestions will give some ideas on how to take better care of yourself throughout the year. Learn more information about our services to help you and your loved one.