Its Not an Indulgence, Its a Necessity.According to the National Institute on Aging, taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do as a caregiver.If youve ever traveled by airplane, you know the flight attendants safety instructions always say to place your oxygen mask on yourself before placing one on your travel companion and theres a good reason for this: Its because, if you dont take care of yourself first, you significantly reduce your chances of being able to save either of you.The same is true of caring for a loved one with dementia: If you dont allow yourself to stop and catch your breath, youll both be headed for a tailspin. Being a caregiver is a constant stressor. Stopping to take some me time isnt an indulgence, its a necessity.Caregivers who provide substantial care to a loved one with memory care or assisted living needs involvement with health care activities, care coordination, and medication management are more likely to develop physical and emotional health problems themselves, according to a Na-tional Health and Aging Trends Study.Caregiving is not easy for anyone not for the caregiver and not for the care recipient. There are sacrifices and adjustments for everyone. Whats more, as your loved one moves through the stages of Alzheimers disease, caregiving will likely become even harder. Make sure you are making time for yourself.Remind yourself that its okay to ask for help. You may feel self-doubt or guilt that what youre doing isnt enough. You might also feel resentment that your free time has been consumed by providing care. These are all perfectly normal emotions in your situation. Consider joining a caregiver support group to relieve your sense of isolation.You may come to the realization that you can no longer care for your loved one by yourself, and need to enlist respite or residential care. Open yourself up to the possibility that your loved one may actually benefit from being part of a memory care community, filled with professional caregivers and a lifestyle filled with stimulating, purposeful experiences.Youre likely to discover that you each quickly feel relief from stress, reconnect with your past selves, and get second chances at fulfillment that you thought were lost forever.Editors Note: This article was submitted by Mary Jo Greene of Artis Senior Living of South Hills and may be reached at 412-212-6221 or online at www.TheArtisWay.com/BlueBook