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Hi! You are now in the Dealing With Stress Forum. Here is your chance to ask questions, discuss your own experiences, and discuss others’ opinions regarding how any caregiver can manage the stress that comes along with caregiving.

You will find bountiful information, and many caregivers that have good insight as to how they have dealt with the frustrations and stress of certain behaviors that a dementia patient may exhibit. You may also find some useful ideas on how to manage a busy schedule, and how a few simple tips (provided by our professional staff) can completely change the way you experience an unpleasant situation that may come up when caring for your loved one.

Don’t forget to check out our “How to Relax Forum” for even more useful tips on exercise, breathing techniques, and more!

I enjoyed the information on personally dealing with the stress of the moment. I keep catching myself holding my breath, and I remind myself to take deep breaths. I feel that perhaps my own stress levels rise because we caretakers hold it all in. We can't get annoyed or angry at our loved ones, as they really don't know what they're doing. So we just hold it in. The stress release eventually leads to the level where we have deal with it.

I would love to enroll in a yoga class or something, but it's always hard to find someone to come in and stay. Plus that, it's pretty costly to hire someone.

I try to do DVD exercises or yoga at home, but my husband wants to do it too and then it becomes me instructing and explaining and, haha no yoga actually is done. Personally I don't really believe it matters if they follow specific exercise instructions, any exercise has got to be beneficial, but it seems important to him to do it like I am doing it.

One thing that works for us is I take him to the beach, set up a chair for him and do exercises on the dunes while he watches the ocean. Or I walk up and down the dunes around his chair. It's amazing what we can come up with when we step outside the box. But I do agree that relieving stress is so important and becoming more and more as it gets harder.

If anyone else has some creative ways to relieve stress while at the same time care-take our loved ones, I'd love to have you pass it along.
Nanci