"You're Welcome"
Caregiver Tips©
November 2005
Contents
*Self Care Focus: You're Welcome
**Words of Encouragement
***Book Award
****Reminders
*****Messages for Caregivers
******So Good I Want To Share It
*******Internet Sites 2Good2Miss
********Thank You
********* Self Care Tip
********** Share A Tip
Self Care Focus: You're WelcomeBy Jo Cavanaugh
How many times during the day do you hear the words, "Thank You"? Or do you spend most of your time caregiving knowing that your "Thanks" is non-verbal most of the time?
We all need feel appreciated and hearing the words always helps. But what about our care receiver?
Remember the last time you had to ask for help and how it felt to be unsure. It was a great boost to have the "You're Welcome" after you expressed your appreciation.
Take a few minutes during this time of Gratitude to see how we can express "You're Welcome" with more love, understanding and patience. Make the first person that you say "You're Welcome" to be yourself.
As a caregiver you make a conscious choice every day to provide support and love for your care receiver. Make sure that you know that you're welcome.
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Words of Encouragement
9 Fantastic Formulas for a Stress Free Holiday!
By Julie Hunt
The holidays are officially here. And so the season for giving begins. Warm loving intentions, thoughtful giving and stocking stuffing take over.
It's a wonderful time of year, but with all the activities, excitement and family obligations taking place at the same time, it's easy to feel overwhelmed, stressed and even a tad bit gloomy. Here are 9 simple steps to relax, let go and really enjoy a truly happy holiday!
1. Reflect on what an inspiration you are to others. The time you spend, the love you give and the enthusiasm with which you do it all with is what matters most to people close to you. The beautifully wrapped presents and bows are far less important than your loving friendship. You are appreciated and cherished in the lives of so many people. Love yourself with the same appreciation.
2. Be honest with yourself and don't stuff your feelings. As you start to feel range of emotions this holiday? whether it is joy or fear? frustration or liberation? Don't push them away like last season's Prada bag. Give them a special place. It will be far easier to enjoy the holiday if you are honest with yourself and experience all the good, bad and normal parts of life. Be as accepting and generous with yourself as you are with the people in your life you care about the most.
3. Show empathy and compassion. Our internal perception is reality. Whenever you show kind hearted compassion, you'll get it back in return.
4. Be grateful for all the wonderful differences, preferences and opinions that you will encounter this holiday. Try to view life from a different perspective. Talk about differences that may come up in a loving way and make a special effort to sit on the same side of the table (literally and figuratively). See if you can find it in your heart to love and appreciate Uncle Joe's crazy quirk that normally sends you through the roof. The joy and peacefulness of understanding another's perspective while still honoring your own is a feeling to be savored!
5. Get plenty of sleep and squeeze in a few extra minutes to rest and relax. Sleep may seem like an indulgence this time of year, but it is absolutely essential to good health and a positive holiday outlook. Rest, slow-down and catch plenty of zzz's. Be decadent and treat yourself to 3 -5 minutes a day without any books, junk mail or return calls. Take time to breathe, relax, reflect and introspect. If you're feeling really sassy lie on your back and spread out in the middle of the living floor. Is 3 minutes of your day just for one month too much to ask?
6. Try letting go and see what marvels happen! Let go of one small thing that's really been getting to you. Ask yourself what is the worst that can happen? Just for kicks, reflect back on a particularly stressful holiday situation last year. How bad was it really? Did worry consume you for nothing? I'm guessing that the turnout wasn't as bad as all the images swimming in your head. And, there may have even been a hidden blessing after all. In the scheme of things, our daily worries are trivial. Try to let them go? and go with the flow!
7. Find opportunities throughout the day to bond and make a human connection. Make a conscious and loving effort to be attentive and live in the present moment. A sure fire quick way to work yourself up is to let your mind run a million miles an hour of things you could, should or would be doing. These random relentless thoughts will just make you anxious and nervous. Take the time to look into peoples' eyes; listen carefully to what they have to say and pass them a compliment about something you know is important to them. That goes for strangers too! You will enjoy your time together that much more? and so will they.
8. Change up the scenery. Rather than going through your same daily routine, shake it up a bit! Close your eyes at night before you drift off and sleepily anticipate a self indulgent wild and crazy day. Roll out of bed on the opposite side. Light a scented candle in the bathroom and watch the flame flicker in the morning light. Crank up your favorite piece of inspiring music before you do anything else in the morning. Walk backward through the house. Try tea instead of coffee. Call an old friend you haven't talked to in ages. Talk to strangers! Take the scenic route home. Wave to the stressed out folks who cut you off on the freeway. What else can you think of that could change up your scenery and shake some smiles out of you?
9. Treat yourself as you would treat others. Write yourself a love note. Buy yourself fresh stems of flowers. Soak your feet. Valet park the car. Have your groceries delivered. Send your undies to the cleaners. Snuggle with a blankie. Take a long walk. Sleep in. Watch the sunset. Sing yourself a love song. Do all the things for yourself you wish others would do for you!
Enjoy the most fabulous holiday season of all times!
julie@shesite.com
714-834-1137
Julie Hunt is a female icon and founder of SHE, the foremost inspiration and personal development resource for women who want to live brilliant, happy, successful lives. Marketing consultant, sales expert, copywriting guru, improvisational actress, yoga instructor, author and just plain cool chick? she's an inspiration to hundreds of women.
She is on a mission to scream, skip, advise and acquaint with women around the globe who want live a vivacious life busting at the seams!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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Book Award
Joanne, a caregiver from Manitoba, Canada, will be sent Ask and You Shall Succeed, by Ken D. Foster. Enjoy the read.
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Reminders
Don't forget that November is:
Diabetic Eye Disease Month
Prevent Blindness America
500 East Remington Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173
(800) 331-2020
info@preventblindness.org
www.preventblindness.org
National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month
Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association
255 North Michigan Avenue, 17th Floor
Chicago, IL 60601
(800) 272-3900
(312) 335-8882 TDD
info@alz.org
www.alz.org
American Diabetes Month
American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311
(800) 342-2383
askada@diabetes.org
www.diabetes.org
Great American Smokeout
American Cancer Society
1599 Clifton Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
(800) ACS-2345
www.cancer.org
National Hospice Month
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
1700 Diagonal Road, Suite 625
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 837-1500
info@nhpco.org
www.nhpco.org
Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
2221 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 131
El Segundo, CA 90245
(877) 272-6226
(310) 725-0025
(310) 725-0029 Fax
information@pancan.org
www.pancan.org
Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Alliance for Lung Cancer Advocacy, Support, and Education
500 West 8th Street
Vancouver, WA 98660
(800) 298-2436
(360) 696-2436
(360) 735-1305 Fax
info@alcase.org
www.alcase.org
National Adoption Month
National Council for Adoption
225 North Washington Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 299-6633
info@adoptioncouncil.org
www.adoptioncouncil.org
National Healthy Skin Month
American Academy of Dermatology
930 East Woodfield Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173
(888) 462-DERM
(847) 330-0230
www.aad.org
Jaw Joints - TMJ Awareness Month
The TMJ Association, LTD
P.O. Box 26770
Milwaukee, WI 53226-0770
(414) 259-3223
(414) 259-8112 Fax
info@tmj.org
www.tmj.org
COPD Awareness Month
U.S. COPD Coalition
American Association for Respiratory Care
9425 North MacArthur Boulevard., Suite 100
Irving, TX 75063
(972) 406-4690
(972) 484-2720 Fax
williams@aarc.org
www.uscopd.com
PH (Pulmonary Hypertension) Awareness Month
Pulmonary Hypertension Association
850 Sligo Avenue, Suite 800
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301) 565-3004
(301) 565-3994 Fax
carla@phassociation.org
www.phassociation.org
National Family Caregivers Month
National Family Caregivers Association
10400 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 500
Kensington, MD 20895-3944
(800) 896-3650
(301) 942-2302 (Fax)
info@nfcacares.org
www.nfcacares.org
Don't miss the December 2005 issue of "Caregiver Tips" with tips and information on "Saving the Best for First."
iBALANCE Teleclasses
Are you longing for the time before caregiving? What to find a way to get back to your dreams and goals? Enroll in iBALANCE a four-part teleclass designed to help you take control of your life.
Meet once a week on the telephone and give yourself an hour to clear away the guilt and stress of caregiving. Develop tools and tricks to become more comfortable with caregiving. Learn life skills that will change your life for
the better.
Click this link to get more information about teleclasses:
Get More Teleclass Information Here
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Messages for Caregivers
TeleCaregiving Workshops for Family Caregivers
Choose one, two or all three workshops!
Brought to you by California's Caregiver Resource Centers.
Make yourself comfortable and join us from your Home or Office to learn practical skills and caregiving tools in our new FREE telephone workshops. All you need is a phone. Register today!
1. Wednesday, November 16, 2005 6:45 p.m. 8:00 p.m.
Caring Together!
Practical Tips for Sharing Caregiver Responsibilities with Siblings and Others
Donna Schempp, LCSW, Director of Programs and Services, Bay Area CRC
2. Monday, January 9, 2006 6:45 p.m. 8:00 p.m.
I Went Home for the Holidays and Was Shocked!
Practical Tips for Long-Distance Caregivers
Shawn Herz, MSG, MFT, Director of Program Development, Los Angeles CRC
3. Thursday, January 26, 2006 11:45 a.m 1:00 p.m.
There Must Be Better Way Than This!
Practical Tips for Communicating with People with Dementia
Beth Logan, MSW, Education Specialist, California Caregiver Resource Centers
REGISTER ON-LINE
Look for Workshop Registration on the home page. Once you are registered, they will provide you with: 1) The toll-free dial-in number for the conference call; and 2) Workshop training materials.
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So Good I Want To Share It
John Francis Wissler, author of Poignant Moments . . . A Caregivers Perspective, has written a book about his 12-year experience as the primary caregiver to Lois, his longtime significant other. Lois passed in 2001 after a long bout with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).
Poignant Moments . . . A Caregivers Perspective is a memoir chronicling John and Lois’ experiences with the U.S. healthcare system as well as their struggle to understand ESRD. Moving as well as funny, Wissler’s unique perspective is much more than a “how to” or “self help” of dealing with government bureaucracy; it is a tribute to John and Lois’ relationship and to the struggles and triumphs of caregivers worldwide.
“Caregiving comes from the heart, the soul and the inner most part of one’s self,” said Wissler. “Family caregiving is often an undertaking of insurmountable complexities. It is an issue that touches most everyone at some point in their lives. Sharing my story is the best way to honor Lois and help others in similar situations in saying ‘you’re not alone.’”
John and Lois’ story speaks to everyone as the concerns of caregivers has moved from being a private family situation to a societal issue impacting policy makers, employers, insurers, and healthcare professionals.
Poignant Moments... A Caregiver's Perspective
“ . . . it is a beautiful work. . . . I am brought back to earth with a jolt."
-- Prof. John Agar, MBBS, FRACP, Director of Nephrology Geelong Hospital, Australia.
Internet Sites 2Good2Miss
AFI's Top 100 Funniest Films
This site is a recommendation from The Cancer Connection newsletter.
AFI's Top 100 Funniest Films.
You can Subscribe to Cancer Crusade's newsletter, The Cancer Connection.
Don't Miss the Care Movie
There is a new inspirational video available on the internet. Just in time for Family Caregiver's Month. Don't miss it.
View the Movie
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Thank You
I also want to thank those that have sent an email with a request for information. I enjoy hearing from you and hope that I can provide some support or help when you need it. Please
continue to send me your comments and requests.
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Self Care Tip
6 Ways To Avoid Colds and Flus Over The Holidays
By Kevin Koskella
It seems that nearly everyone catches a cold or the flu between the months of December through February. Most people think this is just the way it has to be, and germs just randomly attack people. Well, this just isn't true!
There are many ways to avoid these annoying and often depressing illnesses. Follow these 5 suggestions and you will significantly reduce your chances of falling prey to one of these nasty attacks!
1. Avoid sugar. As difficult as this may seem in during the holidays, it's the #1 reason people get sick! Sugar takes a big hit on your immune system, and opens you up to disease. If you absolutely cannot do without sweets for 6 weeks, pick and choose a few specific times when you allow yourself a dessert. The daily chocolate around the office will surely come back to haunt you!
2. Get enough sleep. If holiday demands are forcing you to cut down on sleep, you are also putting stress on your defense against germs. Winter is actually a time when you should plan to sleep a little more than usual, not try to get by with as little as possible.
3. Avoid Stuffing Yourself. Although it may be tempting to overeat during this time, this will cause your liver to have to work extra hard, and lead to you getting sick. Overeating any time is also a good way to gain extra weight, as your body stores some of what it can't use as fat. Stick with smaller meals more often and don't let others pressure you into eating too much "because it's the holiday season.? Nibbling on appetizers for hours before a big meal can really do you in. Make sure you think about what you are eating and slow down on the alcohol!
4. Prioritize and Reduce Stress. Make sure you are prioritizing your work and daily activities so you don't become overwhelmed and stressed out. Keeping unwanted stress away is a big factor in staying healthy. Take up yoga or meditation, or just reserve 20-30 minutes per day that's "your time?- where you don't have to do anything or be anywhere.
5. Cook with Coconut Oil. For many years coconut oil was the preferred oil for Americans, until the Canola industry spread false rumors about it, claiming that it was bad for your health. Recent studies have shown that in fact by not eating coconut oil we are missing out on nutrients that keep our immune systems strong. It is the only "good? form of saturated fat. To stay strong, have a couple of teaspoons every day, either in your cooking or as part of a smoothie.
6. Aerobic Workouts. If you're going to miss a workout, make it an anaerobic one. Stick with your walking, jogging, swimming, cycling. Anaerobic workouts like lifting weights, or doing sprints, put more stress on the body, and skipping these occasionally during this time of year can actually benefit your health.
Kevin Koskella is a personal trainer and triathlon coach in San Diego. He has owned a personal training company, and consulted in the fitness field for over 9 years. Author of the E-Book, The Healthy Burn, a comprehensive fat-burning plan for couch potatoes, competitive athletes, and anyone in between.
For more effective ways to lose weight and get in shape, check out http://www.thehealthyburn.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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Share A Tip
Share a tip and receive a CareSsentials Mirror/Sewing Kit. Have a great tip that you want to share on self care, coping, or humor that has helped you through the day?
Share the tip with us and receive a self-care gift for your kindness and generosity.
Email your tips to the link below and please include your mailing address so I can mail you the mirror/sewing kit.
Share a Tip
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Take care and remember that you are appreciated for all that you do,
Jo Cavanaugh
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