While being a family caregiver can be deeply meaningful, it\u2019s far from easy. When you\u2019re pulled in a million directions by your commitments as a caregiver, parent, employee, family member, friend and more, it\u2019s tough to fit in time for yourself. If you\u2019re left wondering how any family caregivers find life balance, you\u2019re not the only one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The good news is, you\u2019re not alone in feeling this way, and you also don\u2019t have to handle it alone. With our aging population and more and more members of the \u201cSandwich Generation\u201d advocating for family caregivers, there\u2019s an ever-growing list of resources available to help you care for both your loved ones and yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jacksonville is full of resources to help you care for your family members (human and furry), older adults in your life and yourself. Here are a few of our favorites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When we talk about how to help seniors stay active, we often discuss how helpful group exercise can be; it\u2019s a lot harder to cancel when you know someone will be waiting for you. The same is true for family caregivers. It\u2019s difficult\u2014but extremely important\u2014to make time to take care of your physical and mental health with regular exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still, family caregivers also need a lot of flexibility, as appointments often come up last-minute. That\u2019s why we like less-structured activities like the Jacksonville Running Club<\/a> so much. They\u2019re a friendly, supportive group who meet for runs twice a week. Since you don\u2019t need special equipment or to learn any new rules to participate, a running club can be a great way to schedule some social time and enjoy the outdoors on top of getting in some much-needed movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Jacksonville Running Club also hosts regular social events outside of their normal running schedule, and they even go to local races to compete or cheer on fellow club members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It can be incredibly difficult to schedule around school drop-off and pick-up times on a regular basis when you\u2019re caring for a family member as well as your own obligations. While you may be able to work out a carpool rotation, sometimes, it\u2019s just not feasible. Finding affordable care that better fits your schedule is often difficult\u2014but not in Jacksonville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Jacksonville Recreation and Parks Department offers trustworthy, enjoyable before- and after-school programs<\/a> at eight convenient locations throughout the city. They have a low staff-to-child ratio and provide educational and creative activities, as well as plenty of time to play. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They also include homework time for the kids, so you can avoid the homework battle once you get home and just enjoy time as a family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pets can be a great source of comfort when life gets hectic, but walking, grooming and the occasional need for overnight care can also add to the chaos. If you\u2019re struggling to fit regular walks into your busy schedule or feeling guilty about how long it\u2019s been since you\u2019ve played a game of fetch, a reliable dog walker can take a big weight off of your shoulders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While friends, neighbors and family members can pitch in, cobbling together pet care can be another job in itself. A service like Woofies<\/a> offers everything your furry family member may need, all from one convenient provider. They offer a variety of options for regular walks as well as pet sitting when you need longer coverage. They\u2019ll even make your pet\u2019s bathtime more convenient with mobile grooming that comes to your door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re juggling caring for a loved one, your family members, your pets and yourself, you don\u2019t have to do it alone. Jacksonville is full of resources that can <\/p>\n\n\n\n It can be hard to focus on time for yourself, though, when you\u2019re constantly worried about your loved one. That\u2019s why reliable respite care from an agency of FirstLight Home Care of Jacksonville<\/a> can be so important for family caregivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With respite care, you can rest easy knowing your loved one is in compassionate, capable hands. Our reliable, trained caregivers will provide companionship, handle meals and medication reminders, assist with hygiene and mobility and more so you have complete peace of mind. When you schedule regular respite care, you can plan ahead of time to schedule appointments, time with friends or family members or some much-needed self care.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFind Care Kids Will Love<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Find Flexible Care for Furry Friends<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How Home Care Helps Family Caregivers Find Life Balance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n