First and foremost, take control of what you can control, start with behaviors.  The pillars of health and wellness are; emotional and behavioral health, exercise, nutrition, relationship health, and self-care. Identify good habits and behaviors and eliminate bad ones. Treat health like the limited commodity it is.

People face different situations at different ages and require different frameworks to take control and help themselves. To learn more and get specifics follow the relevant links:

 Retirement

 Sunset

It’s also important if you are the caregiver to know when you should stop and take a break. Avoiding the loved one, anger, fatigue, depression, impaired sleep, poor health, irritability, or despair about what’s ahead are clear warnings. It’s dangerous for the caregiver and the patient.

Watch for a progression in three phases:

 Caregiver Stress – frustration, not getting enough support,

 Caregiver Burnout – exhaustion, emotional, mental, and physical,

 Compassion Fatigue – over exposure to trauma and weakened empathy

It is particularly important when the patient has dementia or a long-term chronic disease. The duration of care is longer and 80% of it is with the patient at home. Two-thirds of dementia caregivers are women, and 1/3 are 65 and over, and another 1/3 are “sandwiched” caring for both a parent and children. They are at high risk of anxiety and depression.

Recovery after the patient’s death is complex and can take years, not weeks or months, particularly if it’s an one spouse caring for the other over a long chronic illness or dementia. The combination of loss, prolonged distress, physical demands of caregiving, and older caregivers may increase their risk for physical health problems and shorten their life.