Put Your Own Oxygen Mask on First: 6 Things You can do to Look After Yourself in Your Caring Role

Australia has over 2.7 million carers, which is equivalent to 12% of the population. As a carer, how do you look after yourself to ensure you stay well, and you are able to continue to look after your loved one?  

Caring for someone can be stressful. It can be physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding. You may not be able to make significant changes to your caring role, but you can look creatively at small changes that may help.

1. Get enough sleep:  The power of a good night’s sleep cannot be understated. Limit coffee and alcohol intake before bed. Meditate. Listen to music or read a book. Turn off your phone 30 minutes before you want to go to sleep.  This will support with establishing a bedtime routine that is inducive of sleep.
2. Get some exercise: Go for a walk. Stretch. Weed the garden. Ask your phone what exercise you can do in your home. Do something you enjoy. It will help maintain your energy (and help you sleep!). Can you sneak ‘incidental exercise’ into your day? Park the car further away from the shops, take the stairs, play ‘What’s the time Mr Wolf’ with your child!
3. Maintain a healthy diet: We know this can be hard sometimes, but the ‘fuel’ we feed our bodies will help give us energy and strength during the day. Can you grab an apple instead of a biscuit for morning tea? Would pre-made frozen healthy meals save time cooking? Keep a bottle of water close to remind you to drink.
4. Do something you enjoy every day: You need to have time for you. This is NOT selfish. It is crucial. This could be taking 5 minutes to yourself to enjoy a hot cup of tea outside, phone a friend, meditate or listen to an audiobook.
5. Connect: We are social creatures. We need to connect with other people. Try to maintain your usual activities as much as possible. Can you set up a regular routine to catch up with a friend for coffee each week? Attend a hobby, social or interest group such as woodworking, book club, or craft.
6. Seek and accept help: When your family member asks if they can help, say yes! Ask if they can babysit your child or take them to the playground. Say ‘yes’ when an old friend offers to visit and sit with your husband who is living with dementia.

Get in touch with services that may be able to help. A few have been listed below. Learn how they can support you. Counselling, peer support groups, coaching and online skills courses are a few of the other services they offer. Say ‘yes’ to respite. Don’t wait until you feel you are almost burnt out to accept help. It will take longer for you to recover.

Services that may be able to help include:

In summary, looking after yourself is NOT selfish. It’s crucial for you and the people you care for! Put your own oxygen mask on first! You need it to breathe and survive.

Carergateway.gov.au 2022. Home | Carer Gateway. [online] Available at: <https://www.carergateway.gov.au/>, Accessed 14th September 2022.

My Aged Care 2022, Caring for someone (online), available at: < https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/caring-someone>, accessed 14th September 2022.

Carers SA 2022, Carers Association of South Australia- Taking care of you, (online), available at: < www.carers-sa.asn.au/resources/taking-care-of-you/>, accessed 14th September 2022.

Dementia Australia 2022, Dementia Australia (online), available at: <https://www.dementia.org.au/>, accessed 14th September 2022.