The Importance of Maintaining
Positive Caregiver Energy

Positive Caregiver EnergyHave you ever thought about Caregiver energy? It takes a tremendous amount of physical, mental and emotional energy to meet the needs of someone who is aged, disabled or ill. However, energy isn’t something that leaves us when we spend it. It’s more like an invisible force field that accompanies us wherever we go and fills the space around us.

Our feelings toward our care receiver, our responsibilities, as well as our general attitude toward life radiate from us whenever we walk into a room. Take a moment to think about the type of energy that is radiating from you today. Are you filling the space around you with positive energy? Or are you giving off negative vibes?

If you are caring for someone who has Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, they may not have any idea of who you are or how you fit into their lives, but they will feel your energy, and they will respond to it.

If your care receiver is displaying challenging behaviors, it’s possible that he/she is in pain. Sometimes people with dementia-related diseases act out because they’re hungry or thirsty, and they have forgotten how to satisfy those physical needs. But if everything seems to be okay with them physically, and they are acting anxious, uncooperative or fearful, it’s possible that they are reacting to the negative moods and energy of the people around them.

When caregivers spend all of their energy meeting the needs of someone else, it’s only natural to start feeling resentful for the time and effort it takes to provide that care. You may think you are quite successful in masking your feelings, but if you’re depleted physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually, your fatigue will radiate from you like heat from a furnace.

Don’t try to fool yourself into thinking you can do it all forever. Take a break. Do something that will recharge your own batteries and give you the caregiver energy you need to continue doing what needs to be done. Self-care is NOT selfish. When you take care of yourself, you will have more energy to share with others, and in the end everyone will benefit.

You might want to watch the Self-Care Module on our website to get ideas on how you can care for yourself while caring for others. Click here: Caregiver Help Self Care