Caregiving and Health
learned about caregiving and health for my husband and me. As the circumstances of our union changed, I needed to change. More awareness of my husband's needs was crucial. We addressed our own needs privately up to this point. This change in our lives required keeping the needs of both the care receiver and the giver in focus.
I was always asking, "Am I doing this right?"
Healer In-Vesica mixed media collage by Allison L. Williams Hill
A point of revelation for me was that as I asked to be the best healer I can, how else would I attain the ability? When I saw the movie Evan Almighty, there was a scene in a diner where Evan's wife asked God (the versatile Morgan Freeman) how one becomes what they ask for. The answer was that whatever one asks for, more opportunities to develop it appear. It is also a matter of choice in how one wants to see what is before them. I could look at the change as a crushing life issue for myself and the one needing care, or I could become more accepting of where I am, my current condition, and learn and grow from it. My husband became my teacher.
Caregiving ad Health Issues
Humans create habits and routines for tasks and duties. Disruptions, like new life experiences, upset the order and create frustration.Throughout, caregivers are still human and experience emotions and feelings.
Some caregivers appear human; their feelings and emotions may be missing, and the care receiver is at risk. Sometimes it feels there are not enough hours in the day or there is no help available, which can lead to feeling overwhelmed. The caregiver worries that the tasks will remain. The feeling can lead to stress.
Caregiving and Health and Stress
Stress from caregiving can lead to inadequate sleep, either too much or too little, affecting serotonin levels, which are responsible for wellbeing. Other issues that may result are:
• weight fluctuation;
• fatigue;
• lack of interest in enjoyed activities;
• becoming short-tempered;
• constant worry;
• sadness;
• physical pain, or
• alcohol or drug abuse to numb and escape.
Stress is considered "normal" and not handled beyond complaining. Consistent postponement can, according to research, compromise the immune system and develop into clinical depression, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and cancer.
My husband built the gazebo at our home that was destroyed by H. Irma, September 6, 2017
Caregiving and Health Attitude of the Caregiver
A healthy place for a caregiver is to acknowledge how and what you are feeling. An acceptable level of stress permits you to work comfortably. However, if any of the above results, it is best to have the problem checked by a professional.
In Silva Mind Control Method, a problem is a project for which there is a solution.
The ultimate in God's, or whatever name you give to the Divine Being, Plan is that we learn while here and from each other. As your care receiver shuts down and refuses to answer questions, what are they teaching you? What are they teaching you if they develop unusual habits, unlike anything you learned or seen them do, or have a temper tantrum? What are you teaching them when you scream and rage about what your care receiver is doing? Ask yourself: is that the lesson I would like them to learn from me? A beautiful question I learned from one of my spiritual teachers is: "What would Love do?"
Caregiving and Health and a Healing Place
A healthy place for a caregiver is to acknowledge how and what you are feeling. An acceptable level of stress permits you to work comfortably. However, if any of the above results, it is best to have it checked.
The ultimate in God’s, or whatever name you give to the Divine Being, Plan is that we learn while here and from each other. As your cared for shuts down and refuses to answer questions, what is he or she teaching you? If they develop unusual habits, unlike anything you’ve seen them do or have been told they do, or have a temper tantrum, what is he or she teaching you? As you scream and rage about what your cared for is doing, what lesson are you teaching him or her? Ask yourself: is that the lesson I would like them to learn from me? A beautiful question I learned from one of my spiritual teachers is: “What would Love do?”
Practice "fitting in" to improve health and wellbeing. Examine how you use time, and mine as in dig, where you can collect minutes to create "nuggets".
Fit in places where tasks can take care of themselves. For example, food marinates, laundry soaks, and cleaners "sit." Set them up while doing other tasks.
Attempt to schedule personal time. The quality of a ten-minute gold nugget of time will be more valuable than the quantity of 1 hour rarely achieved. Attempt to set aside the time while the care receiver is engaged in something else. For mothers, it may be during your child's nap.
Mangroves on Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Caregiving and Health and Breath
Make time for what gives you pleasure. If it is reading, a couple of pages a day will support that enjoyment. As you get better at finding time, the stress reduces.
Remember that “there is time.” The world will not end tomorrow. Breath can improve health and wellbeing by slowing you down. Breathing is probably the greatest and cheapest thing you can do because it is free, it detoxifies, strengthens muscles and the immune system, improves metabolism, and changes your body’s reaction to stress, to name a few. Breath helps us to release blockages to allow energy to flow through the body.
Begin practicing breathing into your belly if you are not used to it. Stress causes you to take shallow breaths into your chest which becomes a habit. Breathing should be deep, slow, rhythmic, and through the nose. For cleansing breath, inhale a slow deep breath for a count of 7; hold your breath for a count of 8, then release your breath for a count of 7.
Be mindful of your body. Become aware of how you breathe and when you hold your breath. When you become aware of shallow breathing, change it by deepening the next breath.
A prayer or words may help. An appealing phrase for calm or peace serves to center and deepen breath. Begin with known methods. These can be mixed or modified to create what works best for you.
Resources
1.THE ART OF BREATHING YOUR FIRST KEY TO UNLIMITED ENERGY.
2.10 Breathing Exercises to Try When You’re Feeling Stressed
3.Bone Breathing: Making Your Breath Reach the Bones
4.Conscious Breathing: A Simple Way to Heal Your Pain and Be Present
Links
The above meditation mandala will be available soon.
