Taking care of a loved one who has a long term illness can take its toll on your physical health and mental well being. While the care you provide is given out of love, you should not be totally bound to the caregiving role. It is not healthy. Occasionally the burden must be shared so that you can take a break and rejuvenate yourself. Without that, you could be heading toward a meltdown physically and emotionally.

There are a few tips you should follow in order to decrease the burden and stress of caregiving. Taking some or all of these steps would go a long way toward the self-preservation of your physical and emotional health. These tips are:

1. Talk with the doctor or specialist about your loved one early on. You need to understand the diagnosis of your loved one's illness first as well as what to expect as time goes on. Treatment options should be discussed and you should become well-versed in possible symptoms and care duties.

2. There are some duties that you just may not be able to handle on your own so you should look into the resources available to you in your local area. Your loved one may need the services of a therapist, home health nurse or even a community program that offers reduced rate meals or even counseling services.

3. Be armed with all of the pertinent phone numbers necessary so that medical assistance is just a phone call away. You may need the advice of a doctor or nurse should an unexpected symptom occur or you just may have to call upon a home health nurse to stop by for an extra medical visit.

4. Do not hesitate to ask for help should you need a day off or if there are duties that you just cannot handle alone. Caregiving can be stressful and sometimes, rather solitary so it is easy for others, including family members, to not realize just how much you are doing on your own. And if help is offered, accept it gratefully and graciously and then take a well-deserved break!

5. Do not neglect your own health in the process of providing care to someone else. What will happen to them should you become ill? You have to pay attention to your own needs and eat a properly balanced diet and get exercise. If loved ones are not nearby to ease the burden of care so that you may take a walk, go shopping or go to your own doctor, hire a home health service or respite care service so that when you need to take a break you can do so, confident that your sick loved one is in capable hands.

6. Exercise your imagination and adopt a few pastimes that will give you not only pleasure but also relaxation. Taking up yoga, meditation or going for a massage will help relax your body so that you are not always holding the stress inside but rather exorcising it so that you can continue your caregiving duties with enthusiasm and love.

7. Talk with your loved one about financial, legal and medical matters early in a diagnosis when they are still mentally sharp. A living will or advanced directive spelling out their exact wishes in regards to medical care and financial issues will make your life much simpler when your loved one's health deteriorates and they cannot express their own wishes.

8. Be prepared to lose patience on occasion. After all, caregiving is a stressful job, particularly when you live it 24/7. Accept that you cannot always be "Mary Sunshine" every day and banish the guilt when you are not at your best. You have the best of intentions for your loved one's needs and that is what matters.