If your COVID 19 - 10 person bubble is made up entirely of caregivers/professionals that help you to care for your child or elderly parent, things can get lonely pretty quickly. Not to mention, with a loved one in the 'more vulnerable category' you won't want to have anyone other than household members in your bubble anyways. This level of isolation can cause a huge strain on your mental wellbeing.
Like they say, it's physical distancing - not social distancing! This is especially important for a family caregiver. Here are a couple ways you can stay sane during the loneliness of the pandemic:
PANDEMIC TIPS FOR PHYSICAL DISTANCING
Find out if your caregiver support groups are running online virtual sessions if you haven’t already. Mark them in your calendar and attend!
Make a tea or coffee and have a Skype/Zoom/Facebook video chat with a good friend or family member! Try to make it a regular thing.
Make time to have meaningful conversations with your partner (Yes, I know you’re both busy, but your relationship is important too). Having adult conversations about hopes, dreams, fears and stresses can help you feel more balanced and connected to each other - don’t hold everything inside!
Use spare time to watch webinars or listen to podcasts. The extra knowledge will make you feel busy and take your mind off of the current circumstances. Plus, these can make you feel like you are with someone. It's a prime example of physical not social distancing.
Celebrate special occasions and holidays still. Host your friends or family by all making the same dinner or enjoy a glass of wine over a trivia night.
Look into local networking events that have gone virtual and attend - you never know what new connections you could make.
Do you have any physical (not non-social) distancing ideas to add to our list? Tag us on social media @coachingforcaregiverscanada