Caring for Yourself When You're a Caregiver

Caregiving is cooking, driving, scheduling, advocating and comforting, often all in one day. It is also exhausting, and caregivers routinely put their own eating last.

Start with batch cooking. A pot of soup, a tray of roasted vegetables and a container of cooked grains on Sunday will carry you through several meals. Keep smoothie ingredients in the freezer for the days you forget to eat.

Accept help specifically. When someone asks what they can do, give them a concrete task: a grocery run, a meal drop-off, an hour of company so you can sleep.

And remember that your loved one's appetite will fluctuate. Cooking a meal that goes uneaten is not a failure — it is Tuesday.