According to a study reported in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, brief, directed smartphone exercises can help quickly improve your mood. Psychologists at the University of Basel and their international colleagues reported that participants in the study felt more alert, calmer and uplifted after using five-minute video tutorials on their smartphones. The subjects could choose between various established or more modern psy...

• First, identify the problems you are having and some possible solutions.

• Prepare a list of the solutions that others could help you with. There are many responsibilities that can be shared. Break the jobs down into very simple tasks. Something as simple as balancing the checkbook or submitting insurance forms can be done by someone else.

• Start asking others to pitch in. Even far away relatives and friends can hel...

Studies show that one-third of caregivers provide intensive care, yet they are also in fair to poor health. In fact, caregivers are often at risk for increased blood pressure, insulin levels and cardiovascular problems. One of the ways to counteract these threats to health is by exercising. But how can one find time to exercise when so much time is eaten up by caregiving? The answer is to try and incorporate some quick but sim...

As a caregiver you might often find yourself without a lot of time for preparing meals and as a result just eating whatever happens to be available, which often means consuming unhealthy foods. You can counteract this by trying to have certain foods on hand which can actually improve your health.

• Apples – an excellent source of antioxidants, which combat free radicals, those damaging substances that are generated in the bod...

One thing that many caregivers endure is stress. Stress from worry, from fatigue, from trying to meet the everyday demands of caregiving. Recent studies have shown that just being around friends at some point during a negative period where you feel you’re at your wit’s end can actually reduce stress. A study published in the Journal of Psychology, found that children aged 10 - 13 who spent time with friends during a negative p...

Get moving.
 

• Take 10 minutes to play some of your favorite music and dance your heart out.

• Play a few of your favorite songs, grab a pretend microphone and sing along like you’re the star.

• Take a brisk walk around the block, making sure you are moving yours arms as well.

• Go up and down the stairs a few times to get your heart pumping. 

• Watch television for 10 minutes while you step in place, pumping you...

     Caregiver fatigue can occur when caregivers don’t get the emotional, physical and financial help they need. They often lack the resources and skills necessary to effectively care for their loved one and still try to maintain their own life.

     The demands of caregiving can often overwhelm a person’s emotional state leading to a state of fatigue and hopelessness. This can easily lead to b...

1. Acknowledge the situation you’re in and admit it can be difficult. Don’t dwell too long on the negative aspects, but be honest with yourself about how you feel.It's okay to feel life has been unfair. Write away your frustations in a journal.
    

2. Read up on the medical condition of your loved one. The more you know about the illness, the better you understand certain behavior and symptoms. And, you will be able to antic...

As a busy caregiver, leisure time may seem like an impossible luxury. But you owe it to yourself—as well as to the person you’re caring for—to carve it into your schedule. Give yourself permission to take a quick rest from caregiving and to do things that you would normally like to enjoy on a daily basis. You will be a better caregiver for it.

Find ways to pamper yourself – light candles and take a relaxing bubble bath. It only...

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC) across the country are highlighting the importance of “aging well” for seniors. Dedicated Wellness Programs improve the quality of life of each senior and/or client physically, psychologically, and spiritually by offering a purposeful fitness plan and life enriching programming that address individual health needs, quality of life, and to encourage successful aging.

From day-to-day,...