What is National Stress Awareness Month?
Stress Awareness Month: A Time for Caregivers to Relax and Recharge
Stress Awareness Month is a national, cooperative effort to inform people about the dangers of stress, successful coping strategies, and harmful misconceptions about stress that are prevalent in our society. It started in 1992 with the Health Resource Network (HRN) wanting to increase public awareness of the causes and cures of stress. And it’s no coincidence that it was positioned on the calendar the day after the tax filing deadline.
A little bit of stress is good for us, in that it provides energy and keeps us aware of everything going on in our lives. But even though stress is a daily occurrence for all of us, it’s important to keep it in check. When left to its own devices, it can lead to or exacerbate a number of health problems, from heart disease, to acne, to obesity, to depression and anxiety.
“Even though we’ve learned a lot about stress in the past twenty years,” says Dr. Morton C. Orman, M.D., Founder and Director of HRN, “we’ve got a long way to go. New information is now available that could help millions of Americans eliminate their suffering.” That’s why National Stress Awareness Month is so important.
Caregivers and Stress
Caregivers of seniors or disabled individuals are continually under a great amount of stress. The demands placed on them to care for another person, on top of their own busy lives, can often be unbearable. The good news: it’s a situation that’s recognized and help is available. There’s even an entire website dedicated to helping caregivers handle stress: caregiverstress.com. The site offers tips, expert advice, blog articles, and helpful resources. If you’re a caregiver, be sure to visit this helpful website.
10 Tips for Family Caregivers
The Caregiver Action Network (CAN) is also available to help. Their website offers the following tips for caregivers:
1. Seek support from other caregivers. You are not alone!
2. Take care of your own health so that you can be strong enough to take care of your loved one.
3. Accept offers of help and suggest specific things people can do to help you.
4. Learn how to communicate effectively with doctors.
5. Caregiving is hard work so take respite breaks often.
6. Watch out for signs of depression and don’t delay in getting professional help when you need it.
7. Be open to new technologies that can help you care for your loved one.
8. Organize medical information so it’s up to date and easy to find.
9. Make sure legal documents are in order.
10.Give yourself credit for doing the best you can in one of the toughest jobs there is!
While no one can completely avoid stress, you can minimize stress by changing how you choose to respond to it. The ultimate reward for your efforts is a healthy, balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun.
The Federal Occupational Health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) website offers free flyers, posters, emails and more you can download and use to celebrate and spread the word about National Stress Awareness Month. Get them here and let’s spread the word about stress reduction today.
alternativesforseniors.com is proud to be celebrating National Stress Awareness Month. We’re all about helping caregivers find the best possible care for their loved ones. For help finding a senior living community that offers repite, home care or other available options, call (888) WE-ASSIST... 888-932-7747.
BLOG Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Writer: Ryan Allen