5 ways to ease caregiver stress

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AZ Central

Leslie Wright

Psychology Professor David Coon advises caregivers, or anyone under chronic stress, to work to control their reactions to aggravating situations. Here are five of the key tips he gives caregivers to keep it together while tending to someone with dementia or Alzheimer's disease:

Take the signal breath

1 Take the "signal breath." Choose a relaxing word, such as "peace" or "calm." Take four deep breaths and mouth the word when you exhale. Breathing well reduces blood pressure. Coon uses this technique while driving or doing any stressful task. Manage behavior

2 Try to find the reason for a specific behavior. Triggers, such as a noise, a time of day, or the presence of another person, can set off a behavior, such as agitation. If you can find the trigger, you can distract or calm the patient. If you can't, try to control your reaction to the behavior.

Keep a log of incidents and look for patterns.Stop negative thinking

3 Be aware of your negative thought patterns. Coon calls this "hamster-head." Negative thinking goes around and around to no purpose, like a hamster wheel in your head. Challenge yourself when you start thinking in catastrophic terms about your situation. Be aware of your feelings.Communicate with others

4 Asking for help is difficult, but not impossible. Give neighbors tasks if they ask. Contact family members and negotiate for time if they resist helping. Call service agencies that can help.

Assert yourself. Avoid your own isolation. Keep pleasure in your life

5 Develop a list of pleasant events that will give you a lift. Start small and keep it simple: spend time looking at family photos, walking in the park, listening to music. Find something you can do every day to keep joy in your life and do it.....Read more about 5 ways to ease caregiver stress