Caregivers: What's Your Hobby?

‘There is nothing deep down inside us except what we have put there ourselves.”  Richard Rorty

Tuesday  on ‘Be A Healthy Caregiver’ on Blog Talk Radio, I had the pleasure of visiting with John Schwaig from Fabrication Arts Studio in St. Louis.  When I posted that John was going to be on the show, I had a couple of people ask me, “how are you going to relate Stained Glass Art to Caregiving?” My response was simple,  the show is about the importance of Caregivers having a hobby!  To listen to this episode of ‘Be A Healthy Caregiver with John Schwaig, simply click here!

During the show, John talked about how his workshops and  classes in stained glass  have attracted cancer patients and their Caregivers, and how time spent in working on a stained art project have allowed them to take their mind from daily grind of dealing with health issues.  As a former counselor and teacher, John is keenly aware of the importance of self-care.

With over 66 million working Caregivers in the United States today, finding  time for a hobby, or better yet, self-care is often difficult for Caregivers.  Dedicated to the care and well-being of our Caree, Caregivers often put their needs second, which can lead to lack of quality rest,  poor eating habits, which of course then leads to poor health.

Here are some tips for Family Caregivers: 

• Schedule Time For Yourself
• Take Up A Hobby
• Join A Support Group (I recommend Caregiving.com)
• Take Care Of Your Own Health
• Learn To Put Yourself First
• Meditate
• Read a Book Not Related to Caregiving
• Be Open to Outside Help

Self-Care is an important part of the entire Caregiving process that is often left unattended.  I know, I’ve been there myself!  But with some simple adjustments to our daily routine, we can find the time to take better care of ourself.  The ‘funny’ thing about this…your Caree will be the one who will be most appreciative of you taking better care of yourself!

I would like to hear from you on what you do for a hobby!

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