Self care – why is it important for carers and clients?

For many of us, when we think of care, we immediately think about caring for others and ensuring their continued health and wellbeing. With busy schedules and juggling commitments such as work, family and home life the concept of caring for oneself is often way down the list. The term ‘self care’ itself can also bring negative connotations, it’s something often mis associated with selfishness or self indulgence, when in fact it is one of smallest acts of compassion we can offer ourselves that can bring big benefits.

During the ongoing Covid crisis there has been an increase in demand placed upon both health care sector care professionals and clients, Radfield Home Care Havering and Brentwood’s co-director Lisa Cable explains why self care is so important for both carers and clients of care:

“Looking after yourself is particularly important especially if you provide care for someone else.

I know that this is never as easy as it sounds, but I would suggest picking one small thing that you can try that really helps you and that you can do for yourself as it is really beneficial. Sometimes you may also need to communicate with your family that this time is important to you – it will help them value the time that you need to decompress.

For clients, we understand that at the moment there is lots of serious news on the TV and it can be quite engrossing – we have encouraged our clients to make sure they are getting out as much as possible and to still engage with those things that they enjoy which ultimately takes your mind off the current situation. We always look for ways to make sure our clients are connected to daily life and are living life to the fullest.

For the wider health care sector it’s important over the coming year, as organisations and as individuals, for us to take the time to step back and take time for ourselves. This is something that we are actively focussing on at Radfield to ensure the overall wellbeing of our care professionals.”

Self care itself is quite a large umbrella term, but what does it cover? When we talk about self care we really mean things that can improve our physical, mental and emotional health that help us to deal with the day to day demands of life. This can involve anything from staying healthy and taking time to relax to knowing for example, when and how to seek advice from a pharmacist or Doctor to ensure a health problem is quickly addressed.

A recent ‘Self Care Week’ campaign which was run by the UK Government in November really demonstrates the importance of self care, and it aimed to raise awareness of the role we can all play in helping care for ourselves. Self care need not be expensive or take much time out of your day, the simplest of activities could make a real difference. Here are a few ideas from Radfield Home Care Havering and Brentwood that may help improve your self care:

• Get plenty of sleep – helping the body to regenerate and increase the overall sense of being relaxed.
• Have you heard of #selfcaresunday? It’s the idea of dedicating a day at week where we regularly schedule in self care activity. It doesn’t have to be a Sunday, just a day and time that works for you.
• Drink plenty of water – hydration is key to feeling our best and keeping topped up is important.
• A 15 minute walk or exercise – is believed to increase blood flow to areas of the brain that help with memory and cognition. A change of scene is also a great way of resetting your brain.
• Improve your physical and mental health – Have you got a favourite book, film or radio programme? Take the opportunity to escape to a far flung place or revisit words that give you a sense of connectedness and contentment.
• Treat yourself? Do you fancy a new haircut, nail treatment or a pair of new walking boots?

The trick for many is to do something little and often, so that it forms a habit and as the saying goes, every little helps!

If you would like to find out more about Radfield Home Care jobs and how you can join the team, you can visit www.radfieldhomecare.co.uk or contact the office directly [email protected] or 01708 609 364.