The strength and wisdom of the “I am you” mentality.
Most of our lives we assume “this is me and that is you.” This is a belief system that prevents us from being our best and creates the potential for all kinds of disastrous consequences particularly in care giving. This is the source of all communication breakdowns and misunderstanding and many of our problems. When we begin to see and treat others as ourselves and how we wish to be treated we can actually have real tolerance, connections deepen and “others” aren’t so difficult to understand. I’m not saying we all think alike or chose to act alike but I am absolutely saying we are ALL doing the best we know how, with the resources we have available. Resources like moral compass, resourcefulness, ability to take responsibility for our actions and feelings, awareness, ability to perceive. All of these things are part of the equation and we all absolutely think we are doing what is best, that is why we choose to do what we choose. We know often times what is being chosen is not the best but for the person choosing and there mental and moral faculties it looks like the best thing to them. We are all the same in this way.
When we accept this as truth, we can more easily understand where the other 
person is in their life journey and how we can work together. This is a powerful bit of knowledge for someone working in the service and care industry. In knowing this, we no longer become frustrated or overwhelmed, we see things and people as they are, and just like us trying to make things work the best way they know how. Challenge yourself to adopt this perspective next time someone is doing something you perceive to be negative or problematic, take a moment and imagine what they must have thought when they made the choice, this will help you to understand how they work and more importantly what you will need to do to help this individual situation. Seeing others as a mirror of ourselves encourages compassion and cooperation and has the power to transform your life experience into something more kind, positive and less problematic.
It’s easy to assume today will be just another day of service, let’s face it, there is a lot to be done and no more time to do it than yesterday. So how do we accomplish more when the “to do list” grows and time frames stay the same? It is done by learning and evolving our procedures to be more effective and higher functioning. So where do we begin? Well, let’s start with you and self-care.
rest. Sure you’ve heard this before but are you actively taking steps to improve your food quality intake and rest? The fact of the matter is, our bodies are machines, and they require specific fuels and have strict maintenance requirements. If these are not followed health issues will be the consequence. I will make this brief but please do not underestimate the importance of the following tips!
fight it, just try it. Gorge yourself on nutritious raw fruits and veggies until you feel full and if you must have cooked, don’t cook beyond 140 degrees (this kills the food/the energy enhancing qualities). Oh yeah cut back on sugar breads and meats, I don’t care what anybody says, when you do cut back, you will very quickly see how these things have been slowing you down and messing up your life, health and finances 😉
motion creates more energy. What I mean is if you exercise a little bit each day or every couple of days within a day or 2 or a week you will see a significant rise in your overall energy levels and what you are able to accomplish. So in short, want more energy? Expend more energy, exercise.
accomplish anything. Don’t be foolish, when you are overdosing on caffeine and not MAKING enough time for rest, you are not being “hard working” “dedicated” or a “martyr” you are ACTIVLY choosing to destroy your health and becoming less and less effective in everything you do, STOP FOOLING YOURSELF. Buckle down, shut everything down for 8 hours and lay in that bed even if you don’t sleep the whole time. Lay in that bed and allow your body time to repair itself from all of the demands you put on it in a day.
feel less than your absolute best. Take a moment to observe this next time you go in public or attempt a task. You will be surprised. You must stop listening to this voice and catch it each time it pipes up. Counter these negative thoughts or internal dialogues with something positive. When you look in the mirror realize, that person looking back at you, is the one that got you through EVERYTHING in your life with 100% success so far!!! That is profound, no one else on the planet can claim that but you! Sure it may not have been perfect or pretty but here you with another day to change for the better and right the wrongs. Refuse any inner thoughts that aren’t positive, you must be your own advocate and you have every reason to believe in yourself because hey, you made here today. No sense in coming this far just to stop now, right? You will experience miraculous changes as this becomes your new habit and eventually your way of being.
routines can be improved upon and implement these ideas. Create a daily “To Do” list, create a column for imperatives and a column for “would be nice.” Most of our problems and difficulties in life come from us not applying enough thought, creativity, planning and analysis. How will know if you have accomplished anything in a day if you don’t a have a clear list of goals? You probably won’t because you do so many things and often can’t recall your accomplishments and sometimes forget important things. This is probably the easiest thing we can do to make the most profound difference keep notes and lists. Refine and rewrite them daily, it’s easy and will have measurable results. On a side note, there is nothing more attractive than someone that handles there business!
a more productive and positive life. Pretty soon you will be handling your daily tasks like a breeze and lighting up rooms wherever you go. Your life and health will transform into something fun beautiful and positive, and think we could all go for that. If any of this has helped you please let me know, I would love to hear about your successes in transforming your life. Good luck and go be the awesome you that you are!
In this line of work I am always surprised to learn about the people I am serving. I have had the privilege to serve high ranking military officers, world travelers, artists, civil rights activists and more. I hear stories about prohibition times in Chicago, previously classified military operations, experiences from far flung places and incredible love stories that rival Hollywood. Of course many of my clients are experiencing medical conditions that don’t allow for such storytelling, in this case I always seek to become informed by loved ones. This is important to me and the client and offers insights that make provider services much more enjoyable and relate-able for us.
like myself represent more than just task masters, we become friends, confidants and in some cases like family. Getting to know my client’s stories has given me more than just a connection, it enriches and inspires me as an individual and allows me points of relation that ease the caregiving process and even encourages compliance in times where they might not feel like dealing with pressing issues. Never underestimate the value of the client’s story and its ability help you become more effective in your work and inspired in life. We are dealing with individuals have learned much from many trips around the sun and often they are eager to share helpful insights and enlightening stories that will give you strength and inspiration. Slow down and take time to enjoy your journey as your client’s share about theirs, this is one of the many beautiful and empowering gifts for those that dedicate their lives to elderly care services.
How we see the elderly is a very important issue. If we see them as separate from ourselves we are unable to serve them in a way that is best for them which in turn means we are doing less than our best. In this line of work it is easy for us to see the many ways our elderly clients need assistance, this can often times lead the service provider to believe it is simply a relationship based on service. When see our aging clients as people who have accumulated a lifetime of knowledge, experience and accomplishments suddenly how interact with them becomes more compassionate and engaging for them and ourselves.
perceive them, how we value them and of what we feel they are deserving. It is a reflection of us as individuals, a collective and a society. We can all agree things can be improved upon and what we wish for ourselves and our loved ones, is definitely something better. In order for this to happen we must start today with what we are doing and with our perception of aging. We must see our future selves in our aging population and serve them as we would want to be served. When this is done, suddenly our clients have just as much to offer as we have and we develop deeper connections.
We have to face the facts, we are all aging and if we are lucky we will see a time when positive aging will be our concern. As we go out into the field, it is increasingly important we understand we are laying the ground work for the aging experience we will have. As we celebrate and treat our aging population as ourselves, the future begins looking like a much happier and healthier place we can even anticipate as a place of accomplishment.
Education) is a multi-faceted program designed to facilitate positive aging, maintain healthy self-esteem and support an active lifestyle appropriate to the individual. These programs were developed personally by Terry Weymouth from more than 20 years of hands on elderly care experience and a lifelong passion for individual empowerment and personal development. Terry explains “Our service is different because it is personal. Having cared personally for the elderly much of my life, has helped me to cultivate a deep understanding and vast knowledge of the aging process. For me, the learning continues as I assist my 98 year old Mother in overcoming the challenges of dementia and managing her positive aging process. I see where assisted living facilities and care professionals excel and where they leave off, my is goal to bridge this gap and equally important, assist individuals in maintaining a fulfilling and empowered lifestyle.”