Caring for an Elder? Are You Thriving or Just Barely Surviving?
Caring for an elderly friend or relative? Take this quick quiz, and learn whether you're thriving -- or just barely surviving.
(PRWEB) April 14, 2004 -- A new report from The Best Is Yet.Net, including more than 1000 caregivers, suggests that caregivers who thrive behave quite differently than caregivers who just survive.
Caregivers who thrive care for themselves as well as the care recipient," according to the reports author, Dr. Phyllis Staff. They balance their needs with the needs of the person they care for. Caregivers who just survive report giving little time to their own needs."
Are you a caregiver who thrives or one who just survives? Your answers to this 9-item quiz will give you a hint.
1. How much uninterrupted sleep do you get each night?
2. Are you caring for someone in your own home or somewhere else?
3. Do you consider your diet to be fairly healthy?
4. Are you caring for a parent, spouse, or someone else?
5. Do you work full-time outside your home?
6. How often do you exercise in a week?
7. Do you wake feeling rested?
8. How well do you get along with the person you care for?
9. Do friends, family, or professionals help you with caregiving duties?
How to Score your answers:
Item 1. Score 1 point if you usually get 7 or more hours uninterrupted sleep. If you sleep less, score 0.
Item 2: Score 1 point if you care for someone who does not live in your home. If they live with you, score 0.
Item 3. Score 1 point if your diet is fairly healthy. Otherwise, score 0.
Item 4. Score 1 point if you care for someone who is NOT your parent. Otherwise, score 0.
Item 5. Score 1 point if you do not work full-time outside your home. Otherwise, score 0.
Item 6. Give yourself 2 points if you exercise more than 3 times each week or 1 point if you exercise anytime during the week. Otherwise, score 0.
Item 7. Score 1 point if you wake feeling rested. Otherwise, score 0.
Item 8. Score 1 point if you get along well or very well with the person you care for. Otherwise, score 0.
Item 9. Score one point if friends, family or professionals help you with caregiving duties. Otherwise, score 0.
Total your score.
8-10 points -- Youre thriving. Keep at it.
4-7 points -- Do more for yourself, and youll soon be thriving.
1-3 points -- Youre just surviving. Start now to include your own needs in your list of must-dos." No one deserves care more than you.
Read much more about Caregivers Who Thrive." This report is included at no cost in our special bonus package, given to buyers of How to Find Great Senior Housing (2nd edition). Learn more at our website: http://www.thebestisyet.net
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