Always take care of yourself. Who will handle all of your responsibilities if something happens to you?

Be as patient as you can with yourself and your loved one. When you are faced with a stressful situation, relax and take some time to respond.  

Contact senior centers and hospitals in your community to find resources that may help you. Local newspapers and public places, such as grocery stores, may advertise meetings and support groups in your community.

Determine as soon as possible how finances will be handled and whether filing for disability insurance benefits or Social Security benefits is warranted. You may want to contact an accountant to help you. Legal matters such as an advance directive should also be addressed, and a lawyer’s services may be beneficial.

Encourage your loved one to do as much as he or she can on his or her own. Don’t baby your loved one too much and actually risk limiting his or her level of functioning.

Find out everything you can about your loved one’s condition and available treatments (e.g., cardiac rehabilitation, stroke rehabilitation). Knowledge can help you make informed decisions.

Give yourself permission to take a break, to feel angry, scared or resentful, to grieve, cry, or reach out for help. You are in a stressful situation and you should take steps to help you cope.  Caregiving is a continual process. Give yourself room to re–group every step of the way.

Have the phone number of your loved one’s physician by the phone at all times in case of an emergency. Also, know in advance the location of the nearest hospital that can handle a cardiac emergency as well as where your loved one's physician has privileges. It is important to keep your insurance information available and know the coverage. Finally, it may help to read When to Call a Doctor. The more you prepare, the less afraid you may feel when a medical situation arises.

Ignore any attempts from others to try to make you feel guilty or obligated to give more than you are able or comfortable to give. You know your limitations and it is important that you follow your instincts.

Jokes and humor from children, pets, friends and family can be a great source of strength. Try not to push humor out of your life, even when things are very serious. It’s still okay for you and your loved one to laugh and find the lighter side of the situation.

Know your limits. Set your own goals and design your own schedule. Don’t let anyone else decide what you are capable of accomplishing.

Let your loved one know with a word, touch, smile or hug that heart disease has been stressful for both of you, but that he or she still has your full support. Not only is that support helpful for your loved one, it is also important for your own well–being. You should try to keep the bond strong when caring for a loved one's physical and emotional needs.

Make peace with your loved one. It's best to resolve past hurts as much as possible in order to move forward in the caregiving relationship.

Never take responsibility for your loved one’s decisions. If he or she does not make progress, does not take the medication you offer, refuses to go to a doctor’s appointment or makes other decisions that are beyond your control, it’s not your fault. Patients make decisions that are beyond your control and you may not be able to do anything about their choices.

Organize responsibilities into as comfortable a routine as possible, allowing for the fact that caregiving is always full of surprises.

Prepare an emergency card with basic medical information and keep it close by so that hospital personnel will have access to vital information in the case of an emergency. Be sure to include a list of conditions or diseases, past procedures or surgeries, current medications, any implanted devices (e.g., a pacemaker) and an emergency contact name and phone number.

Question anything a doctor says that you don’t understand. If you find yourself unclear about something after leaving a doctor’s office, try to write down other questions for the next visit.

Remember that you are not alone. Many other adults are caring for elderly loved ones, as well as their own children. Support groups and online communities are available available to help people in the same situation. If necessary, seek out counseling to help you with your role as caregiver.

Stretch. Breathe. Re–energize. Take small breaks whenever you can to nurture yourself, and lean on available resources to help you take longer breaks. One such resource is the Eldercare Locator, a public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging (1–800–677–1116).

Team up with other people to help you accomplish tasks. Rather than handling ten things every day on your own, enlist the help of others so that ten people can do one thing every day. A team approach can help you deal with tasks that may seem overwhelming.

Update the list of your loved one’s medications and dosages, and do everything possible to make sure that your loved one takes all medications as prescribed. Also, keep a written record of the medications – this can help if you are faced with an emergency situation.

Verbalize your thoughts, feelings and plans with friends, family members, coworkers, and support personnel.  People may not be able to help unless you tell them what you are experiencing. Sometimes you just need an attentive ear to listen. 

Watch for any signs of caregiver burnout in yourself, including mood swings, withdrawal from friends and family and uncontrollable crying spells. You may also experience despair or helplessness, increased drinking or drug use. All these may be signs that you are trying to do too much by yourself.

X–rays, EKGs, catheterizations, surgeries and other medical tests and procedures take time. You may find yourself with hours to spend in hospitals or doctor's offices. Plan ahead for how you can make this time as productive and personally fulfilling as possible.

Yell in privacy, pound a pillow, slam a car door, sing with the radio at the top of your lungs. These and other strategies for releasing pent–up emotions may help you vent your feelings. If you begin to feel out of control, contact someone to help you cope with the situation.

Zero in on exactly what is stressing you out before you try to do something about it. For example, if you feel upset about a difficult situation, are you worried that your actions may have caused the problems?  Or, are you scared that you will have to handle additional tasks? Analyzing your feelings is a step towards stress management.