Taking care of your loved one is an opportunity to make a real difference in their life, but it can also be challenging. Many family caregivers we know have mentioned feeling tired, and two out of three caregivers struggle to find resources and support when they’re stressed.
But here’s the good news: There are plenty of resources in Myrtle Beach to help you care for yourself as well as your loved one.
How Family Caregivers Can Manage Stress in Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach is full of resources and activities to help you take care of yourself and unwind. Even better, many of them are free or discounted for seniors. Here are a few of our favorite ways for you and your loved one to manage stress in the area.
Get Outdoors
Connecting with nature doesn’t just feel good—research says that spending time outside can actually improve your mental health. And with some of the best shorelines on the East Coast, Myrtle Beach has a wealth of options.
For a day of fun in the sun, head over to Myrtle Beach State Park. While it’s best known for sandy beaches and a fishing pier as long as a football field, this stretch of shoreline also offers some of the best surf fishing in the state. Step off the beach and you’ll find a shady oceanfront forest that hides hiking trails, picnic pavilions and a nature center. You can even take your loved one for a stroll down the oceanside boardwalk, complete with ice cream, restaurants and a Ferris wheel.
If an afternoon’s not enough, make it a proper weekend getaway. Nestled in the trees just a few minutes’ walk from the water, you’ll find an RV-friendly campground where you and your family can unwind. There are even six cabins available to rent.
Huntington Beach State Park is a very different kind of beach, but no less worth a visit. While its actual shoreline is hard to reach, its coastal estuaries, freshwater lakes and gnarled forests make for a uniquely beautiful landscape. It’s all accessible by a network of easy boardwalk trails, making this the perfect place to take your loved one exploring.
Huntington Beach is arguably the best birdwatching spot in the Southeast. It’s frequented by majestic water birds like swans, herons and even the rare roseate spoonbill (which appears almost nowhere else in the United States).
Huntington Beach also hosts the lavish Atalaya Castle, the former winter home of philanthropist Archer Huntington, who donated it to help found the park.
Try Breathing Exercises
The easiest stress management technique is also one of the best: Breathing exercises. They’re a simple way to calm your nerves that you can do anywhere. Many of them take just a few minutes to do, and hardly any longer than that to learn.
In fact, you can learn one of the best ones, 4-7-8 breathing, right now. Here’s how to do it:
- Sit up with your back straight. Or, if possible, lie down on your back.
- Breath in through your nose as you count to four. Make sure to use your diaphragm—your belly should expand as you inhale.
- Hold your breath and count to seven.
- Breathe out forcefully through your mouth and count to eight. Keep your lips pursed as you do this. The result should be an audible exhale.
- Repeat this 3-5 times.
Breathing exercises are a fantastic tool, but sometimes you need deeper relaxation. Take it further with a meditation or yoga class at Ocean Yoga with Kseniia. Not only do this studio’s wide windows overlook Myrtle Beach State Park, they also host regular yoga classes on the beach itself.
Blow Off Some Steam
Being a family caregiver can be frustrating, and it’s normal to need to blow off steam occasionally. Sharpen your aim and head on over to Jack Axe Throwing with a friend and compete for the most bullseyes. Just make sure you won’t need to carry anything heavy afterward—throwing axes is also a fantastic arm workout!
Plan for the Future
Being a family caregiver is a lot less stressful if you have a concrete plan for the future. Building that plan can be challenging, but there are many experts in Myrtle Beach who can help.
We’ve built a network of trustworthy professionals like social workers and Senior Care Managers. If you need help with estate planning, we highly recommend contacting Apryl Haden at Haden Toothman, or any of the attorneys at Wilson Law Group.
Get Support
If you’re feeling stressed, it can help to talk about it with other family caregivers who understand what you’re going through. If your loved one has dementia, we invite you to join our Alzheimer’s Support Group, which meets at FirstLight Home Care of Myrtle Beach on the first and third Mondays of each month.
There are a wealth of other support groups for family caregivers in the area. Feel free to reach out if you need help finding one.
Reach Out for Support
Caring for your loved one is meaningful and kind, but it’s also challenging. Luckily, you don’t have to face those challenges alone.
Sometimes, you’ll need to take time off from caregiving, and FirstLight Home Care of Myrtle Beach is here to help. While you’re away, our professional caregivers will offer your loved one the same care and loving companionship that you would. Whether it’s temporary respite care or regular assistance over time, we’re here to help.
If you want to learn how a caregiver can care for your loved one and reduce your stress, don’t hesitate to contact us.