Are you being selfish with your caregiving? Likely not; however, you should be. When I say "selfish", I don't mean this in a negative context. Many caregivers focus, first and foremost, on the individual they are assisting. While doing this is certainly excellent work, one should not allow him/herself to become so busy to completely disregard his/her own personal needs.
In my book, "Caregiver's Guide for Canadians", I provide a graphic entitled "Your Circle of Caregiving". This resembles a giant wheel with many spokes extending from it. At the end of each spoke, another smaller circle is drawn. I encourage readers to write in the names of people, agencies and other community supports who/which can provide help in some manner. My reason for mentioning this diagram is to highlight the importance of you. You will quickly notice that you remain in the centre of the picture therefore being an integral part of the caregiving process.
With being in the bulls-eye of the circle, I hope that you will also realize where your own needs must be placed. You must actually prioritize your own needs over those of your aging parent. You've likely heard the old cliche, "How can you care for someone else if you don't care for yourself first?" The adage couldn't be any truer. When you are tired, you become more run down, more emotional and more prone to your own health risks. With being sick, you are not going to accomplish much and may well have to quarantine yourself.
As a caregiver, remember where you stand in the grand scheme of things. I'm certainly not advising you to drop your caregiving duties completely, but find a way to compromise so that you can enjoy a regular break. Become more selfish with regard to your own needs. Taking that break will help keep both your mind and body healthier.
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