How to Combat Family Caregiver Boredom

It is hard to admit but even harder to avoid. Family caregiver boredom is a common response to spending a great deal of time together, performing the exact same tasks, engaging in exactly the same activities, and running out of interesting conversation topics. This is not by any means related to your feelings for the person in your care. In fact, they may be feeling just as tired of a stagnant routine.

How can you breathe renewed life into your caregiving relationship? Our care team has some ideas you can implement.

Break Free From the Norm. Take a mental walk through the routines you have built, and think of techniques to implement changes. Are you preparing the exact same bowl of oatmeal each morning? Try doing a quick online search or pull out a few cookbooks in order to find an appealing new recipe to try with the loved one in your care once weekly. In the place of those morning talk or game shows, switch off the TV and take a walk together. Drive a new route to the doctor’s office or beauty salon to see some new sights.

Plan Something Fun. Brainstorm ideas for fun outings or new experiences you can plan together with your family member. These may be as simple as trying a brand new café in town or traveling to a destination they have always wished to visit but never had the opportunity. If traveling with the person seems too daunting, consider bringing along an experienced caregiver from Home Sweet Home In-Home Care! We’re always available to help make dreams come true for the seniors we serve.

Celebrate! Do not wait for a birthday, anniversary, or major holiday to help make life more intriguing and fun! There are hundreds of unique and lesser-known holidays to pick from, for example, National Polar Bear Day, Toast Day, Tell a Fairy Tale Day, and Comfy Day – and those are only a handful of reasons to celebrate in the last week of February! Or why not designate your own? All it requires is a little creative thinking as you look around your environment, select something you’re thankful for, and think about ways to make it the star of the day.

Tap Into Your Imagination. Remember creating imaginary worlds of play as children? It can be just as fun as an adult! As you are waiting at the doctor’s office, take a look at the people around you, and then try to picture an extraordinary story of their lives. Challenge your loved one to do the same, and then share your stories on the drive home. Practicing mindfulness is yet another strategy to fully participate in the moment rather than dully observing from the sidelines. Use all five senses to experience your surroundings in a new and intriguing way.

Are you experiencing family caregiver boredom? Let Home Sweet Home In-Home Care, a trusted provider of in-home care in Portage, MI and the surrounding areas, help by providing breaks from care that give both of you the opportunity for experiences outside of each other’s company, allowing for enjoyable conversations to have when you are together again. Reach out to us at (866) 229-2505 for additional information!