Being an assisted living caregiver for elderly senios an ailing spouse or aging parent can be both demanding and rewarding. Family caregivers juggle many daily responsibilities, which range from managing pharmaceutical prescription drugs to helping with personal care. Often it leaves little time to concentrate on their well-being health and happiness.
Assisted Living Senior caregiving and stress go hand-in-hand It should come as no surprise that with unhealthy behaviors. One harmful shortcut some caregivers often opt for is fast convenience foods rather than healthful foods requiring a longer time to prepare. Caregivers often struggle with weight gain as an outcome.
What causes Caregiver Weight Gain?
Cravings for comfort foods, those high in fat and sugar, often increase when a caregiver is stressed and exhausted from lack of sleep.
Deficiency of sleep can also slow metabolism, which may increase appetite. The brain has a more challenging time recognizing the human body’s”full” signs when sleep deprived. It can result in overeating.
According to research from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, family caregivers are more likely to be obese than their non-caregiving peers. In reality, research shows 27.5% of caregivers meet the clinical definition of obesity compared to 23.6percent of men and women who aren’t caregivers.
4 Ways to Prevent Caregiver Weight Gain
If caregiving is Beginning to create your pants tighten, these tips might help you prevent an unhealthy Quantity of weight reduction:
Adopt a much healthier approach to menu planning: Most fast foods and convenience foods are loaded with sugar and sodium. By freezing and preparing healthy foods in advance, you can make mealtime faster and much more beneficial. These healthy, freezer-friendly meals will be able to help you get started. A slow cooker or an Immediate Pot can also lessen the fuss of making more nutritious meals.
Explore healthy, local food options: Another avenue to explore is local restaurants or delivery solutions with healthful meal choices. Spend an hour or two studying alternatives in your community and make a listing. Please post it on the fridge and keep it in your purse. Whenever you are tired or pressed for time, use it to purchase something healthy instead of hitting a local fast-food drive-through window.
Make quality sleep a priority: People are often surprised to learn that poor sleep and lack of sleep have been linked to weight reduction. You are more inclined to make healthy choices when well-rested. By contrast, failing to get a good night’s sleep can increase appetite, especially high-carb foods. Creating a wholesome bedtime routine may help. A few tips include turning the thermostat down to 68 or 69 degrees, installing room-darkening blinds, and removing light-emitting devices from the room.
Join a caregiver support group: rather than turning to food when exhausted or stressed, join a support group. Having someone to talk with, even in an internet caregiver forum, is an excellent way to control the ups and downs of caring for a senior loved one. Call your regional agency on aging to find an in-person support team. If you prefer an internet forum, the Family Caregiver Alliance has many different groups from which to pick.
If the demands of family caregiving are becoming too much, think about a short term respite stay or a move to a assisted living area . With over 270 communities in 30 states, there’s probably a Five Star Senior Living Area near you. Get in touch with us at
769262596 to learn more today!
