3 Self Care Tips For Epilepsy Caregivers

Our job title says it all, we are caregivers. We take care of someone with epilepsy! And although we’re more than happy to do this, the truth is that our intentions and love for who we’re helping doesn’t make the task any less exhausting.

Therefore, in order to be able to continue to be caregivers, we need to prioritize taking care of ourselves as well. And that’s what this article is all about. Because I know firsthand how easy it is to let self care take a backseat, to the detriment of your own health!

So for the good of yourself and the person you’re taking care of… please take the time to read this post and apply some of these tips. It will make things so much easier in the long run.

Note: I know that not all epilepsy caregivers are directly related to who they’re taking care of. But throughout this article, I will be referring to that person as a “loved one” since that’s my personal experience. And you can substitute that word for “patient” or “friend” if it fits your situation better.

This article is for all types of caregivers!

1 - Make Time For Yourself

If I had to pick just one thing that I think all epilepsy caregivers should do for themselves, it is take some time off! 

Because unlike most jobs, caregiving doesn’t always have set hours. In fact, in many cases, you actually live with the person you’re taking care of. And this can make it extremely difficult to feel like you’re really “off duty”.

Of course, I do know that sometimes taking time for yourself is easier said than done. Especially depending on the severity of the epilepsy your loved one is suffering from. But there’s almost always some way to take a much-needed break every once in a while.

In some cases, where the person with epilepsy is still fairly self sufficient, it’s just a matter of scheduling some time off and being intentional about it. 

But if the person you’re taking care of needs constant care or supervision, you may need to look into hiring someone to take over a couple of times a week. Or recruiting a trusted friend or family member to give you a break for a few hours!

2 - Pay Attention To Your Own Health

When you’re focusing a lot on someone else’s physical wellbeing, it’s easy to put your own health on the back burner. But this isn’t good for anyone involved, and can make for serious complications. So as a caregiver, you need to do the following…

Exercise - At times, caregiving can be a physical task. In some cases it could require a lot of strength, endurance, and even speed. And on the other hand, if the job itself doesn’t require physical labor then some caregivers find they have a limited amount of time to move their bodies at all.

So carving out time for exercise is very important! And don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to incorporate more movement into your day to day life. You could start setting reminders on your phone to walk around every so often, find a YouTube channel with workout videos you enjoy, or even find someone to partner up with so that you can keep each other accountable.

Diet - Similarly to how some caregivers feel they don’t have time to workout, some are so busy that they don’t nourish their body properly. Trust me, I’ve been there as well. Since it’s a lot easier to grab a slice of cheese than a sandwich with veggies when you’re busy.

But this simply isn’t sustainable for your body, and it won’t give you the energy you need to complete your daily tasks either.

One solution to this issue is to meal prep ahead of time. That way, all you have to do is set aside one or two blocks of time every week to prepare some healthy meals for yourself. Then you can simply warm these meals up as needed throughout the next few days.

Another solution could be to sign up for a service like Factor, where pre-prepped (and healthy) meals are delivered straight to your home every week.

Go To The Doctor - Lastly, you need to make sure that you’re still going to the doctor yourself… 

And trust me, I get it! A doctor's appointment could result in a lot of extra planning and scheduling for you, especially if you need to find someone to stay with your loved one while you’re gone. Plus, after spending a lot of time at the doctor for epilepsy-related appointments, the last thing you really want to do is go back for yourself.

But it’s still important that you do, for so many reasons. So, take this as a sign to go to the doctor if you’re due for an appointment!

3 - Find Someone To Talk To

It’s obviously important to take care of your physical well-being, and make sure you’re well rested and healthy. But sometimes it’s equally important to take care of your mental health. Because caregiving can take a toll on it as well.

And one important aspect of staying mentally well is to find external forms of support, so that you don’t feel alone or isolated.

This support could be in the form of a friend, a family member, a support group (there are a lot of support groups for epilepsy caregivers online), or even a therapist! You just need someone that you can talk to and gain support from. Because a sense of community can make all the difference.

So if you haven’t yet taken the time to find a support group, or if you’ve been pushing away loved ones because you don’t feel you have the time to maintain the relationship… it’s time to remedy that.

Conclusion

Epilepsy caregivers are absolute superheroes! And I have nothing but respect for everyone who fills that role. But that doesn’t mean you’re invincible. So please take care of yourself, because you deserve it too!

Thank you for reading, and if you have any extra tips about self-care as a caregiver please leave them in the comments. There’s always more to learn.

Plus, if you want to learn more about epilepsy then please check out some of my other articles on the subject. Education is power.