Category: 2019 AtoZ

Hello and Welcome to my sixth attempt at the AtoZ blogging challenge.
My theme this year is Caring for the Caregiver. My posts are based on my experience and are not meant to be a comprehensive guide on the subject. I would love to hear your experiences..
You can catch up with my previous posts here.
With each post, I am sharing a sketch that I have done as a means for stress busting. 


Zombie
Care giving is demanding physically and mentally and can turn us into Zombies! 

When the caregiving period ends (either because our wards have healed and are fully independent now or any other not so happy  reason) – it creates a void. Suddenly there is nothing to do. One can feel empty or guilty of not having done something. 


We need to ‘switch off’ as it were, phase out our minds away from the situation of illness/handicap/dependency that we had to deal with and get on with our lives. If possible take a short holiday or a long one if you wish. A change of scene does wonders. This is especially helpful if you have had a long spell as a caregiver.


Dont be in a hurry to sort out paper work or possessions in case your ward has passed on. These things can wait. 


Consciously avoid becoming a Zombie during a care giving phase or once it is over.

However, as I said before…
There is no one size fits all solution. 
Every family has to find something that suits them best. 
At best, posts such as mine will inspire a family to come up with their unique workable plan.


The final sketch…
Part of the time when I planned these AtoZ posts was spent at the waiting room at a hospital where I escorted my Mom for her Radiation Therapy. It had a Fish Tank which I guess was meant to distract or soothe patients. I dont know how many people even noticed those lovely colourful fish as they swam around their glass tank, looking out at folk sitting on the chairs.


Here they are…

Can they feel the pain and distress of the patients as they try to come to terms with their diagnosis?

And here is my sketch .. to mark the end of my Mom’s therapy and the end of this challenge. 

I have had a very busy time, as care giver. Hence some of my posts are not what I had envisaged them as. 
I do plan to update them along the way.. so do come back .. 

This has not been an easy topic to write about. Some of my thoughts may sound harsh and heartless at times. I hope I have been able to encourage and help caregivers in some way. 

How has the AtoZ treated you?
I would love to hear from you.
Take care folks and Stay Happy!

Hello and Welcome to my sixth attempt at the AtoZ blogging challenge.
My theme this year is Caring for the Caregiver. My posts are based on my experience and are not meant to be a comprehensive guide on the subject. I would love to hear your experiences..
You can catch up with my previous posts here.
With each post, I am sharing a sketch that I have done as a means for stress busting. 

Yes
This simple word makes all the difference to being happy care givers.
Say Yes to Letting go
Say Yes to Saying No as well 
Say Yes to Staying Happy and Fit
Say Yes to Technology 


Say Yes to all means at available to you to do your job more efficiently and happily.

However, as I said before…
There is no one size fits all solution. 
Every family has to find something that suits them best. 
At best, posts such as mine will inspire a family to come up with their unique workable plan.


My sketch for the day ..
I meant to draw a Dragon but I am not sure if this even resembles one.
😖

Either way, the process of drawing served the purpose and I ended up feeling calmer that when I started off with the sketch.


Only one more day to go folks.
See you tomorrow with the last post.
Stay Happy! 

Hello and Welcome to my sixth attempt at the AtoZ blogging challenge.
My theme this year is Caring for the Caregiver. My posts are based on my experience and are not meant to be a comprehensive guide on the subject. I would love to hear your experiences..
You can catch up with my previous posts here.
With each post, I am sharing a sketch that I have done as a means for stress busting. 


X factor
This is always among the most difficult alphabet in the challenge. Except when wrote about herbs as I was lucky to have found a X herb very easily.. 
Not this time.. 
So I shall write about the X factor which we encounter in our care giving. Often its the good kind, when we meet someone most unexpectedly and helps us out. I remember how one particular Doctor simply refused to take care of my Dad (his condition was serious) and another Doctor appeared like an Angel to take over.
Now how could the first doctor get away with it, what about the Hippocratic Oath etc are topics for another post.. 
Then we were just happy with that someone had taken charge. 


A not so happy X factor was when our helper was on leave and the replacement also had to take an off.. That meant one of us had to take an off from work!! 


Yet another is when our ward simply refuses care or services of a Helper. 


Basically, what I am trying to say, is that we will face unexpected situations during the course of care giving. Some will be happy ones some not so. We cannot be prepared for every eventuality but we have to take things in our stride. 
Stay calm and things will fall in place. 

However, as I said before…
There is no one size fits all solution. 
Every family has to find something that suits them best. 
At best, posts such as mine will inspire a family to come up with their unique workable plan.

And here is the (almost) finished picture!

Only two more to go in the 2019April AtoZ!
See you after the weekend folks.
Stay happy!

Hello and Welcome to my sixth attempt at the AtoZ blogging challenge.
My theme this year is Caring for the Caregiver. My posts are based on my experience and are not meant to be a comprehensive guide on the subject. I would love to hear your experiences..
You can catch up with my previous posts here.
With each post, I am sharing a sketch that I have done as a means for stress busting. 

Why Me?
My husband and I look after and are main caregivers for three elders (four, till my father passed away a couple of years ago). 
And I have asked myself “Why Me” umpteen times and with no answer.
Why this? Why that? Why Why Why

Very slowly and painfully I have accepted that this is how it is going to be, maybe this is what God wants me to do so its best that I simply get on with my job instead of complaining and cribbing. It is easy to say so and write here but very difficult to implement. Especially when one has to give up doing things we love or enjoy. 


Yet, once I have accepted the situation, its been much easier, my stress has reduced and generally I think I can become a better care giver. Being emotionally charged up is not good as I tend to  become irritable, argumentative and so on.. 


We relish and appreciate every support and help from our family members .. Along with professional helpers, we have managed to keep ourselves sane and try to stay fit and happy. 
Why me is not a question that I ask now..

However, as I said before…
There is no one size fits all solution. 
Every family has to find something that suits them best. 
At best, posts such as mine will inspire a family to come up with their unique workable plan.


Sketch for the day

We are almost at the end of the Ato Z!
How has it treated you?
Have you kept up with reading and commenting? This is where I could not keep up but I hope to catch up soon.
Stay happy folks!

Hello and Welcome to my sixth attempt at the AtoZ blogging challenge.
My theme this year is Caring for the Caregiver. My posts are based on my experience and are not meant to be a comprehensive guide on the subject. I would love to hear your experiences..
You can catch up with my previous posts here.
With each post, I am sharing a sketch that I have done as a means for stress busting. 


Visitors
Meeting friends, family members, colleagues from work, neighbours etc can help cheer seniors especially when their mobility is restricted. Despite technology keeping them updated with happenings around them, there is nothing to beat the human touch and voice. 
However, its necessary to restrict the number of people who visit our wards lest the latter get tired. Instead of us care givers making a schedule, the visitors can be requested to tie up among themselves. This way someone is visiting regularly and our wards do not tire. Additionally it gives us some time away either for work or simply relax!


I also discourage visitors from bringing gifts. Especially food. Elders usually are finicky about what they eat and there may be health restrictions as well. Flowers may cause allergy. Books may end up just lying around and never read. Happy thoughts and laughter are the best gift that visitors can give the elders they visit. (A point for us to remember as well when we call on elders.)


I have found that some people end up giving negativity by their visits. I have strongly discouraged such people even at the risk of being labelled as people-unfriendly. I cannot have my ward disturbed for no reason at all. 


If visitors wish to genuinely help caregivers, then Heather Erickson has a list of thoughtful things that caregivers will really appreciate. e.g. Offering to do their laundry, cook a meal for them… Do visit her post to read many more wonderful suggestions.

However, as I said before…
There is no one size fits all solution. 
Every family has to find something that suits them best. 
At best, posts such as mine will inspire a family to come up with their unique workable plan.

Only four more alphabets till this challenge ends.
How has it treated you?
Meet you tomorrow with the Y post!
Stay happy!

Hello and Welcome to my sixth attempt at the AtoZ blogging challenge.
My theme this year is Caring for the Caregiver. My posts are based on my experience and are not meant to be a comprehensive guide on the subject. I would love to hear your experiences..
You can catch up with my previous posts here.
With each post, I am sharing a sketch that I have done as a means for stress busting. 


Unique
As you would have noticed, I have repeatedly said, “every family has to find something that suits them best.”
Which means a Unique solution.


I have tried to bring out various aspects that care givers have to deal with and some methods to deal with them. What is suitable for me may not work for others and visa versa.
We meet many people who love to advise us on what should be done to look after our wards. Often these are just empty words, never backed with concrete support or facts. This sounds harsh but is true. 


I know of a very old couple who is happily living in a centre for assisted ageing. Another who has chosen to stay in their own home with several helpers. Another lady has chosen to spend 3 months alternately with her daughters while another gentleman is staying alone. One lady has moved to a new home closer to that of her daughter so that the daughter does not need to commute to look after her mother’s needs.

The immediate families of each are comfortable with their own set up as it works for them. The wards and caregivers are both happy to the extent possible. 


Each family has created their own Unique solution.


Ageing is not easy. We have to make the best of the situation so that everyone is happy and comfortable.

However, as I said before…
There is no one size fits all solution. 
Every family has to find something that suits them best. 
At best, posts such as mine will inspire a family to come up with their unique workable plan.


Today’s sketch is of a vase lying on the mantle.

Hello and Welcome to my sixth attempt at the AtoZ blogging challenge.
My theme this year is Caring for the Caregiver. My posts are based on my experience and are not meant to be a comprehensive guide on the subject. I would love to hear your experiences..
You can catch up with my previous posts here.
With each post, I am sharing a sketch that I have done as a means for stress busting. 

Share
Being care givers means having to take umpteen decisions (about medications, therapy, finances, diet choices etc etc) for our wards. In addition to the stress and responsibilities of our own lives. This can double our load mentally.


It is vital to share our fears, reservations with a trusted person. It can be in the form of a support group or spouse or sibling or friend. A person whom you know will keep your trust, and not end up convert your thoughts gossip fodder. 
One can also write a diary or blog .. anything to let off the steam.
Group activities can also help share and relieve the loads of our minds.


Whatever the mode, sharing is important. It can also lead to help find solutions to some problem we may face as care givers. 

However, as I said before…
There is no one size fits all solution. 
Every family has to find something that suits them best. 
At best, posts such as mine will inspire a family to come up with their unique workable plan.



Here is my sketch …

See you tomorrow folks!
Stay happy!

Hello and Welcome to my sixth attempt at the AtoZ blogging challenge.
My theme this year is Caring for the Caregiver. My posts are based on my experience and are not meant to be a comprehensive guide on the subject. I would love to hear your experiences..
You can catch up with my previous posts here.
With each post, I am sharing a sketch that I have done as a means for stress busting. 

Routine
As care givers, there is a whole lot of work waiting to be done (and more…).. and one may cave in under this load – housekeeping, medical followups, bill payments and all this at time has to be of two households. Its easy to miss some important stuff.


My suggestion is to make a strict routine for things to be done. Note it in your diary or simply make a chart and pin  the paper at an easily seen place. It can be a daily schedule or a weekly/monthly one depending on your situation. Make sure to allot time for your own exercise and some relaxation. 
Besides staying up to date with our commitments, it also helps to declutter the mind, and simply prevents unwanted thoughts from entering. Thus helps in managing stress. 


Do you have a routine? 

However, as I said before…
There is no one size fits all solution. 
Every family has to find something that suits them best. 
At best, posts such as mine will inspire a family to come up with their unique workable plan.


Today’s sketch is an attempt to draw a bottle from the dressing table!

We reach the end of the third week of the AtoZ!
Have a great weekend folks!
Stay happy!

Hello and Welcome to my sixth attempt at the AtoZ blogging challenge.
My theme this year is Caring for the Caregiver. My posts are based on my experience and are not meant to be a comprehensive guide on the subject. I would love to hear your experiences..
You can catch up with my previous posts here.
With each post, I am sharing a sketch that I have done as a means for stress busting. 


Questions
When faced with dependency, chronic medical conditions, mobility issues etc, there are bound to be umpteen questions in our minds. They may be about our wards health/medical condition or about ourselves and how we will manage the situation.


Its better to note down the queries and ask them to the doctors. If the doubts pertain to some legal issues then best ask a lawyer. And so on..


Never hold doubts or try to get an answer by internet search. It may turn out to be the wrong one. 

However, as I said before…
There is no one size fits all solution. 
Every family has to find something that suits them best. 
At best, posts such as mine will inspire a family to come up with their unique workable plan.


Today’s is inspired from an image in a magazine.
We have more than half way through the alphabet.
How is the AtoZ treating you?


See you tomorrow folks with the R post.
Stay Happy!