Hope for the Caregiver

Thinking On My Foot

“Thinking On Our Feet”

A stabbing pain beside my left little toe once prompted a visit to a podiatrist.

"You have bunion by your left big toe." He stated flatly.

"I know about my bunion; I named it 'Paul,'" I replied with a laugh. "But it doesn't hurt. The pain is on the other side of my foot.

"You don't understand," he responded. "The defect of the bunion causes the pain you feel." Patiently explaining, he added, "The bunion affects your walking gait and creates stress points that cause pain.' "I'll bet your left knee hurts as well, doesn't it?"

Admitting it did, I listened while he described treatment plans to help relieve the problem.

Discomfort with the pressures of caregiving often leads many caregivers to blame the loved one – the "pain point." However, with an honest look, we find the culprit is often our predisposition to fear, worry, and control. Those 'defects" disrupt our balance, hurt, and are often greatly amplified by the stress of caregiving.

The doctor helped identify and treat the root issues of my foot's pain, and the discomfort eased. With his help, I improved the way I walk.

In a podiatrist's office, I also learned that when I focus on the root cause of my stress –invariably my defects instead of others' - I improve the way I live.

“…Once we know ourselves, we may learn how to care for ourselves" ― Socrates

For Unto Us

One word in Handel's Oratorio, Messiah, carries a particularly poignant meaning for all of us as caregivers. 

We discussed this in today's broadcast. Plus a special bonus song as a tribute to a friend Gracie and I lost this week. 

There's more at www.hopeforthecaregiver.com 

Compassion For Caregivers at Christmas

My interview on Family Life Radio discussing ways to help caregivers at Christmas. 

There's more at HopeForTheCaregiver.com 

Keeping Caregivers Safe in Winter

We are thrilled to announce our newest sponsor. Heat Track!

Keep All Pathways Snow & Ice-Free

HeatTrak Mats are electric, melt 2” of snow per hour and are engineered to be left out all winter.

Go to heattrack.com today and use the coupon code "caregiver" for a 10% discount.

What Caregivers Can Learn From Hanukkah

Rabbi Eric Walker called the program to discuss Hanukkah - and what caregivers can learn from the "Festival of Lights."

Learn more about Eric Walker at www.ignitinganation.com 

Assure Rather Than Argue

Do you ever listen to talk radio or cable news when the panel starts to argue? The voices become an unsettling “wall of noise,” and most change the channel in seconds. If we’re annoyed by talking heads shouting over politics, imagine the unsettledness of those with cognitive issues engaging in or listening to arguments.

When dealing with someone with an impairment, all kinds of subjects fly into the conversation. From seeing things not there to recalling things inaccurately, it remains pointless to argue when cognitive decline is present. Despite even brilliant oratory, the impairment still wins the battle. Rather than pointlessly escalate blood pressure, tensions quickly diffuse when assuring instead of arguing.

Being right is a poor substitute for being there. Like all of us, people with cognitive issues find themselves unsettled, but they often cannot process those circumstances or problems. The human condition eventually leads us into places of fear and confusion where we all desperately need assurance – regardless of our abilities or inabilities. Ironically, we often discover more assurance for ourselves by offering it to others in distress.

“Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.”

- Ronald Reagan

Please feel free to share this podcast with others and help us do more at www.hopeforthecaregiver.com/giving 

Don‘t Stress About Christmas Shopping - Try This Instead

As a caregiver, do you like shopping?  Do you enjoy traffic, crowds, lines, etc? 

Here's a suggestion that I worked out for fellow caregivers. 

Get all your shopping done at MyPillow.com and use the promo code: caregiver 

You'll get a special discount on EVERYTHING on the site!