Being a family caregiver is often a balancing act. You\u2019re never just a family caregiver; you\u2019re also a parent, a family member, an employee and more. Little else throws that delicate balance out of whack more than the back-to-school season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the fall, kids are signing up for extracurriculars, seniors often take advantage of the nicer weather to get back to social activities and you\u2019re left with less time to fit in even more responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, you don\u2019t have to handle it alone, especially in Marina del Rey. Here are our favorite back-to-school tips for caregivers and local resources to make the season easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When back-to-school season pulls you in a million directions, a combination of tried-and-true strategies and local services can help you keep everything (and everyone) together. Here are our top tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The back-to-school rush often pulls everyone in your family in different directions. Kids are studying or off at extracurriculars, other family members are taking advantage of the cooler weather to head to their own activities and you\u2019re busy managing it all. If you don\u2019t make time to be together, it\u2019s unlikely to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the easiest ways to have together time is by making it part of your routine. Start a new tradition this school year. Try making Fridays family board game night with fun snacks, planning a biweekly meal together or heading to see a movie as a family<\/a> once per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What<\/em> you do matters far less than ensuring you do it regularly. The best activity is the one you can stick to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a family caregiver, you have a lot on your plate. It\u2019s worthwhile to consider what can be taken off. Some tasks really require your presence and input, but plenty are best handled by a professional. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cleaning is a prime example of a task that\u2019s easy to offload and has an outsized impact on your quality of life. While it\u2019s easy to let home maintenance tasks fall by the wayside when life gets busy, keeping your surroundings clean has been shown to impact mental health by reducing anxiety and distractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When searching for a cleaner, look for one that\u2019s insured, highly rated and offers flexible scheduling. Pristine Clean<\/a> offers all of the above and even goes a step further; all of their employees are vetted and background checked, so you can feel comfortable going about your day while their team leaves your home sparkling clean. They offer both deep cleaning and maintenance cleans, and you can set a custom cleaning plan to ensure the most high-traffic areas of your home get extra attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It seems like every day, we\u2019re learning new ways exercise benefits our physical and mental health. But when you\u2019re a family caregiver, making time for movement is often the first \u201cleisure\u201d activity on the chopping block. It\u2019s tempting to cancel a workout when the alternative is time to catch up on chores or just take a few minutes to relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, taking time to work out and blow off steam is more<\/em> important for family caregivers, especially during back-to-school season. That goes double if you can pair your exercise regimen with social time to stave off the isolation many family caregivers experience. The key is to make exercise flexible, accessible and exciting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trying a new sport with friends is a great way to accomplish all of the above. Looking for an idea? Try OLA Beach Tennis<\/a>, which offers both lessons and open play times. Grab a few friends and try out this mixture of tennis, badminton and beach volleyball together. Your open play time can also include equipment rentals, so you don\u2019t need to purchase anything to get started; just show up and have a great time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Usually, what family caregivers need most is time<\/em>. Whether that\u2019s a regularly-scheduled break from caregiving responsibilities to show up for school events, book your own appointments or take a moment to recharge, respite care from FirstLight Home Care of Marina del Rey<\/a> can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With this type of professional home care, our caregivers will step in to provide the same compassionate, attentive care you would. You can take care of everything else on your plate with peace of mind, knowing your loved one is in great hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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