Self-care – or taking care of yourself – when you have a limited amount of energy and/or when your disability itself requires so much out of you – can feel impossible. People living with disabilities can often find themselves overworked and overstressed, without any comforting release. When told to indulge in ‘self-care’, many individuals don’t know what that looks like for them, or where to start. Self-care is the active participation in enhancing the quality of your physical, mental, and emotional health. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, rather a stepping stone to finding what works for you. It is also important to remember that self-care should be prioritized. Saving your self-care for when you have time on your hands results in putting it off. This is why it’s important to start now; you are your own best friend.
Self-care means taking responsibility for keeping yourself healthy, thinking carefully about lifestyle choices and paying attention to how you feel on a day to day and long term basis. For those who are living with a disability or have been diagnosed with a long term condition or illness, there may be particular challenges to looking after you. You may have to overcome the challenges that your condition brings in terms of physical and mental health and it may mean adapting your lifestyle to live well.
Reablement
This may include: help with washing and dressing at home, help with cooking and domestic activities as well as benefits advice if you will be unable to return to work for a while. In addition, you will probably receive support from a community team including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapists. Sometimes you may be contacted by the palliative care team, a dietitian or a psychologist. In particular, occupational therapists and physiotherapists may be the health professionals to speak to about getting fit and active again.
Creativity: Get the Brain Juice Flowing!
Be it music or painting, writing or singing, everyone has a creative side. Sometimes it’s okay to take our creativity off the shelf and start a project, not knowing if we’ll ever finish it. Using your creativity to take care of yourself is a great way to practice habits that will last for life.
Making Self-Care Mandatory in Our Lives
Self-care is not an option for healthy living; it is a requirement. Every person living with a disability has to figure out what activities/events that allows you to unwind and enter into that special place of serenity. And when you are equipped with your self-care “to-do” list, implement it into your routine.
Self-care includes everything related to staying physically healthy — including hygiene, nutrition, and seeking medical care when needed. It’s all the steps an individual can take to manage stressors in his or her life and take care of his or her own health and well-being. Self-care does not mean the same thing for everyone. Different people will adopt different self-care practices, and even your own definition might change over time. Engaging in self-care regularly could help you put your best foot forward.
