Seniors For Living

Even if we’re not directly involved in caregiving, we all need time to recharge. All too often though, we pack our weekends with more activities than rest. We spend Saturdays and Sundays catching up on home improvement projects, errands, and other tasks that drain our energy rather than restore it. The demands of caregiving and its sometimes non-stop pace makes even the thought of taking a vacation a challenge too exhausting to pursue. Eventually, we hit our breaking point.

A few weeks back, our #ElderCareChat discussion was devoted to sharing tips about traveling with a caree. This week’s chat took things a few steps back, examining the issues that keep us from making a move — either to travel at all or take “mini-vacations” right where we are. Participants offered suggestions for finding and accessing respite care, learning how to read the warning signs of burnout and compassion fatigue, and finding a way to breathe through it all.

The following questions framed the discussion:

Q1: Tell us about your best vacations — a favorite road trip activity, your most relaxing time away, etc.
Q2: Has the economy or a change in caregiving responsibilities affected your vacation plans?
Q3: Have you heard of or experienced compassion fatigue?
Q4: How do you know when you need a break?
Q5: What keeps you from taking that needed break?
Q6: Share your ideas for scheduling respite care, or taking a vacation as a caregiving family.
Q7: How do you deal with worry/anxiety when you take a break from caregiving or work?

See what people had to say about “staycations,” burnout, and battling the guilt of leaving a loved one behind:

For more tips and insights, check out the full transcript (special thanks to our friends at The Fox Group for providing this record); click here to review and share it. Get an attendance record and other stats via these #ElderCareChat analytics.

Don’t miss our next chat: Wednesday, May 16th at 1pm ET. We meet only on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month (so please note that this will be the last chat for the month of May). Anyone who is interested in or wants to learn more about eldercare issues can join us anytime. Prior participation is not required, nor is there a need to stay for the full hour.

If the “real-time” frame doesn’t sync with your schedule, or if you feel that your question or idea requires well beyond Twitter’s 140 character limit, start a discussion thread on our LinkedIn page or use the #eldercarechat hashtag. The LinkedIn group is also a great place to get to know other participants better, or to connect with professionals and family caregivers with similar interests.