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One in every five Americans is helping someone who can no longer help themselves. That is a lot of caregivers and a lot of love! Often caregivers think they cannot take time for themselves when they are caring for someone else. This is a myth! In fact, it is important that you take personal time and even go on vacations. This will not only improve the quality of care you give, but will also relieve stress. How is this accomplished? Below are some tips, which can make taking a vacation easier.

Find a replacement caregiver

This may be someone you already know, or you can hire a professional. It may be worthwhile; to check with your health insurance company to see if the cost of an in-home aide could be covered while you are away.

Introduce them

It is important that you introduce them to your loved one prior to leaving. This may help the care-receiver feel more comfortable about you leaving. It will also help the replacement caregiver get comfortable with your daily or weekly routine. Go over what needs to be done, and how you do it. This will ensure that the new care-giver knows exactly how to perform certain treatments or tasks.

Make a list of responsibilities

To ensure that your loved one is taken care of completely, make sure to leave detailed instructions as a reference. This will help to ease your mind while you are away. Also, you may want to make a daily checklist that the caregiver can check off each day. Not only will everything be taken care of, in order, but when you come home, you will see that everything has been done.

Other things you can do:

• Leave a list of emergency telephone numbers and places of where you are staying. That way, if there is an issue they can contact you right away.
• Call the doctor prior to leaving and let them know you will be traveling. They may have additional tips for you. Also, if there is an emergency, they will be aware of your whereabouts and will be able to contact you.
• Depending on the care-receivers condition it may be good to check in with them while you are away. Let me know you will be back soon and are thinking of them. The amount you call should be at your discretion.
• Have a nice time! While you may feel guilty about leaving, it is important to let yourself de-stress and spend time with your additional family. It may seem hard, but taking time for yourself is an important part of being a good caregiver.