Taking Time to Acknowledge Stress Awareness Month

Written by Janie Martin, ForgeWorks educator and consultant

Note: At ForgeWorks, we use the term “brain change” instead of dementia to reduce stigma and misunderstanding, focusing on what is happening in the brain without allowing a diagnosis to define the person. Like other health conditions, it names symptoms and changes — not someone’s value, abilities, or identity.

In addition, we use the term “care partner” to replace caregiver to emphasize the partnership between a person living with brain change and the individual assisting with care. This language recognizes shared humanity, mutual relationship and preserves the dignity and identity of both people involved.

April is stress awareness month, a time to pause and acknowledge something care partners know all too well: assisting with care is meaningful, loving, and deeply human — and it is also stressful.

If you support a person living with some form of brain change, stress can feel woven into daily life. The constant vigilance, the emotional ambiguity, the grief that arrives in small waves and the pressure to “hold it all together” can quietly take a toll. Over time, unmanaged stress doesn’t just affect your mood — it affects your health, your resilience and your ability to continue caring.

Taking care of yourself is not a luxury. It is a necessity.

Below are practical, proven tools and techniques that can help manage the everyday stressors of brain change and care partnering.

These are not about “fixing” stress, but about creating small moments of steadiness, compassion, and relief within real, imperfect days.

1. Name the Stress — Without Judgment. Stress thrives in silence. Simply naming what feels heavy can reduce its intensity.

Try this:

• At the end of the day, ask yourself: What was hard today?
• Write it down or say it aloud — to yourself or to someone you trust.
• Avoid immediately minimizing it (“Others have it worse”) or solving it.

Acknowledging stress is not complaining. It’s recognizing reality.

2. Use Micro‑Breaks to Reset Your Nervous System

Care partners often believe stress relief requires long breaks or time away — things that may feel impossible. Instead, focus on micro‑breaks: short, intentional pauses that calm the body.

Examples:

• Take three slow, deep breaths before responding to a difficult behavior.
• Step outside for two minutes and notice the temperature, the sky, or the sounds around you.
• Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly and breathe slowly for 60 seconds.

Even brief pauses can signal safety to your nervous system.

3. Let Go of Being a “Perfect” Care Partner

Perfectionism is a major stress amplifier for care partners assisting individuals living with brain change, creating unnecessary pressure and undermining flexibility, compassion and connection. Supporting someone with brain change requires grace and responsiveness — not getting things “just right.”

Helpful reminders:

• There is no single “right” way to care.
• Some days, good enough is truly good enough.
• Mistakes do not mean failure; they mean you are human.

Compassion for yourself matters just as much as compassion for the person you support.

4. Regulate Stress Through the Body

Stress lives in the body, not just the mind. Gentle, consistent movement can help release accumulated tension.

You don’t need a workout plan. Try:

• Stretching your neck, shoulders, and hands.
• Walking — even short, slow walks count.
• Rocking, swaying, or rhythmic movement when feeling overwhelmed.

Choose movement that feels supportive — not punishing.

5. Create One Predictable Ritual Just for You

Care partners often lose touch with themselves outside of the caregiving role. A small daily ritual can anchor you.

Your ritual might be:

• A cup of coffee or tea without distraction.
• A few pages of reading before bed.
• Music that helps you exhale.

Consistency matters more than length. This ritual is a quiet reminder: I still exist, too.

6. Challenge the Belief That You Must Do This Alone

Isolation increases stress. Care partnering with individuals living with brain change can feel lonely even when others are physically present.

Consider:

• Asking for specific help instead of general offers being unmet.
• Connecting with a support group — online or in person — where your experience is understood.
• Talking with a professional who specializes in care partnering or brain change.

Support is not a sign of weakness. It is a protective factor.

7. Practice Self‑Compassion on the Hard Days

Some days will still be overwhelming. On those days, stress awareness looks like kindness, not productivity.

Try this self‑compassion check-in:

• This is hard.
• I’m doing the best I can today.
• I deserve care, too.

These words won’t change circumstances — but they can change how you carry them.

A Final Thought

Stress Awareness Month is not about adding another item to your to‑do list. It’s about permission — permission to notice your own needs, to soften unrealistic expectations, and to tend to yourself with the same care you give others.

Caring for yourself is not stepping away from being a care partner. It is what allows you to remain in it — more present, more resilient, and more whole.

You matter. And your well‑being matters, too.

Janie brings hands-on experience in providing quality, compassionate nursing care in multiple environments. A licensed practical nurse, Janie is deeply passionate about excellence in person-centered care with a priority focus on the physical, emotional, and spiritual advocacy for people with dementia. Janie was a care partner in her own mother’s journey through dementia, and as a young wife, Janie cared for her husband who suffered cognitive decline due to a brain tumor. These experiences add up to her ability to support from several perspectives. Her certifications include Dementia Practitioner, Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer, Medication Administration Trainer and Certified Montessori Dementia Care Professional. Through ForgeWorks, Janie offers CDP training to professionals and families serving loved ones living with dementia.