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The Caregiver’s Balancing Act

Caregiving for a loved one may last for months or many years. In addition, the number of plates may change or be replaced as life unfolds and we strive for a healthy balance. Whether you decide to keep all of the plates spinning at once or set a few aside, caregiving support can be received in many ways: attend a support group or personal counseling sessions to gain a perspective of the caregiving situation, build a support network to include family, friends, medical personnel, clergy and a social worker/care manager, accept assistance with personal care needs from family members and friends to lighten the load, hire private help even a few hours a week for household and chore services, accept respite care opportunities to allow a break from caregiving and find ways to renew one’s own body, mind and spirit.

We may not all be as talented as the Chinese balance artist, but we can use our own inner resources and the help from others to attain steadiness in our lives. Providing care to someone in need may be one of the most important roles one will ever fill in a lifetime, yet it does not have to be done alone. The first step is to recognize that we are spinning too many plates or that the plates are teetering out of control. The second step is to ask for help. This is a sign of strength, not weakness, and is the surest way to keep all of the facets of our lives in careful balance.

Kristine Dwyer is a Caregiver Consultant and Licensed Social Worker with Carlton County Public Health and Human Services in Cloquet, Minnesota. She is also a past and current caregiver for family members.

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