So often it is hard to officially identify as a carer, after all, you are often a wife, husband, mother, daughter, son or any relative or friend who is able to step forward to support someone during a difficult phase of their illness. After all, isn’t this what you do if you care for someone?
In fact, using the term carer can be sensitive for all concerned as it may hint at a loss of independence, a burden or even raise fear that the illness is far worse than it is believed to be.
No matter how long your role as a carer goes on for, the effects of caring may stay for quite some time after this role finishes.
Caring is a loving and nurturing role, it can be a full time role as well as mixed with a paid job but what is consistent in the world of caring, it is an invisible role. Carers are resistive to raising their hands for help, they sacrifice their own needs for the needs of the person they care for, even though the caree doesn’t ask this of them.
Linda Booth, our Yoga therapist at Penrith and Glenbrook so clearly defines the journey of the carer.
‘Carers we honour the work you do day in and day out and we see you’
Self-care is vital when you are a carer or even past carer, there is an expression, you cannot pour from an empty cup, making time for yourself is so valid.
Join us for a yoga session at one of our centres as we work towards refilling your cup so that you can continue to give freely to your loved one or help you find the way to remember and consider the role you played in your past caring role.
Caring for your loved one through their cancer journey can have a major impact on your health and wellbeing, physically, mentally and emotionally.
So often whilst we are caring for others, we forget our own needs and put ourselves last, this can lead to anxiety, insomnia, depression, fatigue just to name a few.
How can yoga help?
- Gentle yoga movements with awareness of breath which can help ease stiff joints and energise our body (movements can be done in a chair if injuries are present).
- Awareness on breath and how it moves through our body allows us to calm our nervous system taking us from fight, flight or freeze into the rest and digest of the parasympathetic nervous system where we can ease stress and anxiety.
- Relaxation to quieten your mind and give you a bit of space between all the endless thoughts that come and go every day.
- Some time out, some space just for you.
- Cuppa afterwards to meet other carers to have a chat.
