The Importance of Personal Boundaries
Posted on: 2014 03 31
by Care Conscious
As surely as good fences make for good neighbors, personal boundaries make for better relations between caregivers and care recipients. But how do you justify saying no to a loved one who simply wants to talk? Or only needs one more errand run? And what about a sibling who needs you to cover for them just this once? Or twice? Or fifth time? As a caregiver, it's important for you to set personal boundaries that will allow you to maintain both a sense of control and contentment with your own life. Setting Boundaries At first blush, setting boundaries sounds easy. You say, "I'll do this but I won't do that" and that's that, right? Wrong. Setting boundaries, setting real boundaries, requires a systematic assessment of the following:
- Needs
- Motivations
- Resources
- Realism
- Commitment