Focus on Women's Health

Caring for our Caregivers

Women are well known for our ability to care for others, and for our difficulty in caring for ourselves. Whether you are a mother, elder caregiver, or simply a woman who spends extra energy and time doing the hands-on work required to keep the people you love healthy, I acknowledge and thank you for your hard work.

This is not a discussion of whether or not women should be our primary caregivers. This is an acknowledgement that women are, for the most part, our primary caregivers. I sincerely acknowledge and thank all the men who are their family's primary, hands-on caregiver, but this week, let's focus on women.

And yet, there is one way in which women need to improve their caregiving: caring for ourselves. There are many barriers that keep us from practicing self-care: time, money, the availability of help, and, of course, sheer fatigue. However, none of these barriers are insurmountable. So how do we change these habits and start taking care of ourselves?

There are many factors that go into acting on self-care, but the first--and most important--is to make the decision to do it.


You ARE worth it. You DO deserve it.
And it is absolutely necessary in order to continue taking good care of others.

Get started today. Take a yoga class or go for a walk. Make time to treat yourself to a healthy meal. Take the first steps in getting help relieving your pain, stress, or anxiety.

Originally published in my May 2014 eNewsletter