By Amanda Singleton — 2020
Ways to stay afloat when you are providing care for multiple people at the same time
Read on www.aarp.org
CLEAR ALL
No one can prepare us for the experience of providing care for a seriously ill family member or friend. When sickness strikes someone close to us, there may be a sense of chaos, urgency, and confusion.
Nicholas Pinter’s autism and bipolar disorder pose challenges for his parents. His father, Mike, right, learned mindfulness methods to help reduce his stress.
When a child’s wellbeing depends on vigilant monitoring and consistent medical attention, the everyday anxiety and stress that all parents deal with is made worse by the fact that failing to keep up with treatment can be a matter of life and death.
Taking care of a chronically ill child is one of the most draining and difficult tasks a parent can face. Beyond handling physical challenges and medical needs, you’ll have to deal with your child’s emotional needs and the impact that a prolonged illness can have on the entire family.
Meditation broadens our perspective and deepens our courage. The spaciousness of mind and greater ease of heart that arise through balanced awareness and compassion are fundamental components of a resilient spirit.
It is essential for those in caregiving roles to cultivate self-compassion alongside compassion for others, to create an inner atmosphere of kindness, expansiveness, and awareness in which resilience can flourish.
My hope is that the G.R.A.C.E. model will help you to actualize compassion in your own life and that the impact of this will ripple out to benefit the people with whom you interact each day as well as countless others.