3 min read
Caring for yourself
Taking care of yourself and your own needs is important when providing care to your loved one
Many carers get tired and overwhelmed when looking after their loved ones in addition to their day-to-day life. It is very common for carers to put aside their own needs while they are busy caring for someone with pulmonary fibrosis.1
Family members and friends who provide care for people with pulmonary fibrosis can sometimes be at a greater risk of depression and other chronic illnesses such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and excessive bodyweight.2
Providing good care for people with pulmonary fibrosis means taking care of your own mental and physical wellbeing first. Looking after your own health and wellbeing will help you give the best support to the person you are caring for.
“Always take time to do things for you. Then you can carry on caring”
Carers may also experience health difficulties of their own, which could put extra burden on the carer and affect their ability to care for their loved one. Pay close attention to your own health in case you start to notice any of the following:
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Difficulty getting a full night’s sleep
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Poor eating habits
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Difficulty exercising
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Failure to get the rest you need when ill
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Delaying, missing or not making your own medical appointments
Your welbeing
“Never cope alone as a carer there is always someone there to listen and understand how you feel”
Key takeaways
Carers should always remember their own needs, as well as those of their loved ones
Pay attention to your own health and look out for signs you are becoming unwell
Giving the best care possible means also looking after your own health
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Belkin A, Albright K, Swigris JJ, et al. A qualitative study of informal caregivers’ perspectives on the effects of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. BMJ Open Respir Res. 2014;1(1):e000007.
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Tsai PF, Jirovec MM. The relationships between depression and other outcomes of chronic illness caregiving. BMC Nurs. 2005;4(1):3.
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