If you are a caregiver, you know just how stressful life can be day-to-day. To help with this, I have compiled a list of ‘life hacks’ that can make your life less overwhelming when you are feeling like something has got to give.

1) Arrange private or public supports in your schedule to look forward to
Having something in your calendar that you know is coming later in the week can make a huge difference when it comes to your mental health. Knowing you can get some respite can help you get through those tough moments in the week. Bonus if you plan out what you want to do during those precious moments of respite: can you go for a walk, do a short mindfulness meditation, watch your favourite show, go to a coffee shop?

2) Arrange for medication delivery to your home (if this is available in your area)

The time saved by having your or your loved ones’ medication delivered to your home can be significant! Many pharmacies now offer home delivery for prescriptions- meaning no more going to the pharmacy, arranging care for your loved one while you go or taking them with you, waiting for a prescription, etc. Have the prescriptions delivered to you. Trust me- it’s a game changer. Call your pharmacy to see if this is an option for you.

3) Have your loved one’s blood work and other tests done in your own home
We have utilized a service in my area (Ontario, Canada) called My Visit by LifeLabs to come to my mom’s home when she needs to get her blood work done and it has drastically reduced some of the stress we have experienced in trying to get her to clinics. My mom has mobility issues and cannot get into a standard car, plus she occasionally has verbal behaviours- getting her to clinics was always very stressful: think booking wheelchair transportation that did not always come on time, taking her to locations that were not always accessible for her wheelchair, arranging for someone who could manage her behaviours, waiting in the waiting room for her test… It was a lot.

***Click*** ***here*** ***to find out more about MyVisit and to book your visit.***

My Visit helped with this a lot. We login to our account on the LifeLabs website (if you don’t have one, it’s easy to create your own on the website), book a test online at a date and time that meets our needs, upload a lab requisition and the rest is taken care of. A lab technician comes to the home for the test (the technician I spoke to from LifeLabs told me that many are trained in managing behaviours and special circumstances and to write this in the booking notes), the test is done in a completely sterile way and then specimens are taken to the lab. Results are available on their website soon after (mine were available the next day but can take between 24-28 hours) and also sent to the doctor on the requisition. They also offer ECGs at home, Holter monitoring and other testing in addition to blood tests. I would definitely suggest checking them out (plus starting June 9th they are offering $20 off your first home visit). To learn more, visit their website here.

There may also be other home testing services available near you. A quick google search can find different options available in your area- compare the different services and see which one feels best for you and your family.

4) Family/ medical team meetings

You may be reading this header and thinking: how do family/ medical team meetings help with caregiver stress reduction? I will tell you!

How many times have you been with your loved one and felt confused by a doctor’s appointment you had or a conversation with a dietician or a meeting with another healthcare provider? Are you overwhelmed by all the separate meetings you have had with healthcare providers who are all saying different things? How many times has a family member called you to ask you all the questions because only one person was allowed to come to a medical appointment (this can be so frustrating and stressful as the designated family communicator and mediator).

Ask your doctor or medical team for a family/ team meeting. Many caregivers don’t know this is even an option but it can answer so many questions, have multiple family members in attendance and take a ton of stress off your plate.

Essentially, this meeting is an opportunity for multiple healthcare professionals working on one team to meet with a family and potentially the individual you are caring for to answer your questions, address any confusion, and speak to the entire family as a unit, etc. Write down your notes, ask all your questions, get a clear picture of what is going on. Get yourself out of the confusion and out of the dark of the medical aspects of caregiving.

Give this one a try!

Do you have any other hacks to add to this list? Leave them in the comments below!

Thank you to LifeLabs My Visit for sponsoring this post. All opinions in this post represent my experience as a caregiver and are not a representation of my professional designation or professional expertise.

For more information on our partnership policy, click here.