May 9, 2022
For those in the sandwich generation, finding balancing between childrearing and caring for older loved ones can be a challenge, especially during the summer months.
To help you better navigate these months off from school, consider these tips for keeping a healthy balance and maintaining effective care for everyone in your family.
Create Space for Everyone, Including Yourself
While it is a unique blessing for your parents and children to spend time together, time apart can be just as important.
This is needed for everyone involved, providing your parents with some peace and quiet and allowing your children some time just to be kids. Additionally, by tag-teaming responsibilities with your partner or other family members, you can create valuable pockets of one-on-one time with each person.
Another great way to create a little more freedom in your schedule is to consider enrolling your children in a summer camp or day program.
Watching out for yourself is also essential for keeping calm during these stressful months. By taking some extra time in the morning or before bed, you can pare down your routines and find some much needed time for relaxation.
Fight Stress by Simplifying Your Routines
For many, summer is the time of rest and relaxation, but it is easy to get overwhelmed with higher expectations and a tighter schedule. To better avoid burnout while providing care, try taking a cue from the summer season and simplifying your life.
You can easily slow down and minimize your stress by cutting corners on family vacations and weekly meal planning.
Quick Meal Planning Tips
For example, the hotter weather calls for light and fresh meals! So you can remove the oven and stove from the equation entirely and prepare wraps, sandwiches, and salads that are easy to keep in the fridge and ready at a moment’s notice.
Additionally, you can adjust your family traditions to better accommodate your children or loved ones by making it a group activity! Instead of that massive family cookout or a big fancy meal, try some simple, low-maintenance recipes that the whole family can make together.
Stress-Free Vacation Tips
Another great way to help reduce that dreaded summer stress is by making some helpful modifications to your family traditions and big vacations! By working together with your partner or other family members, you can better split the responsibilities of your parents and children.
Simple changes like a shorter trip, booking a flight, or opting to take multiple vehicles can reduce the compounded stresses of vacations while also bringing extra utility or convenience.
Use Resources like Tech or In-Home Care
If you’re feeling cooped up at home, getting out of the house can feel like a chore compared to your family’s needs. By utilizing some simple resources, you can easily make the time to run to the grocery, go to the park, or even take your kids (and yourself) for a much-needed treat.
Here are some technology resources that can help.
- GPS Services
- Cameras
- Medical Alert Systems
- Cell Phone Apps
While tools like GPS trackers, medical alert systems, and even basic cell phones are of enormous value, nothing truly beats the assistance of a qualified care professional.
Introducing an in-home caregiver can be a game-changer in your operational freedom and can often be fit precisely to your needs. Whether you need a full-time assistant or just a hand with running errands and staying on top of medication, a compassionate caregiver can help you balance even the most hectic schedules.
Connect with Compassionate Caregivers from Accessible Home Health Care
Whether you need dependable senior care, memory loss care, or a trusted companion for a loved one of any age, we can help. Our care staff is available 24/7 and can stay as long as needed!
Throughout our 20 years in business, we’ve earned the trust of our clients because our caregivers are experienced and unconditionally compassionate.
