Carmen Bowen-Wright
This is Part II of an article which was published on December 7.
I WILL now share with you some dos and don'ts to ensure that your own state of wellness remains intact.
DOS
1. Always show love, caring and patience. The latter attitude will lift your spirits and free you of feelings of guilt, which will negatively affect your health
2. Try to awaken at least half hour before your patient is due to begin making demands of you. Let that half hour be solely yours. Meditate if you know how to, if not, read something inspiring and/or devotional. Pray to your God for strength and patience, while giving thanks for all your blessings.
3. Make time to do small energising and cheerful tasks. Male caregivers could involve themselves, for example, in a service club or more family-oriented events. Females need to do the same, but may find a shopping trip, a trip to the hairdresser or some such simple but delightful task, a stress buster.
4. Do make time for adequate exercise and de-stressing. Remember, half hour of brisk walking around the house each day can be a powerful de-
stressor. The release of chemicals in the brain, from walking, gives one a feeling of mental and spiritual upliftment.
5. Get information on how to lift and/or turn the patient where this is applicable. This will protect you from chronic back and muscular pains.
6. Finally all caregivers must have confidants with whom they can ventilate their problems and frustrations. They should ensure that they have simple anger control strategies, for example, the taking of two deep breaths before "lashing out "at a patient. You would be surprised how the tone of the intended rebuke changes after these strategies.
DON'TS
1. Don't work continuously; take a break or a short vacation.
2. While obtaining regular care for your patient, do not deny yourself of equally adequate care. Many caregivers make contact with a doctor regularly for their patient, but are never themselves present for care, except in cases of emergency.
3. Do not give medication to your patient without serving up your own at the same time. If this habit is not established, you will often forget your own medication.
4. Do not think you are the only person who can care for your patient. As mentioned before, take short breaks and ask a friend, a church sister or a younger family member to perform temporary duties. Use these short breaks for a stroll in the park or a trip to a prayer meeting, club, tailor or dressmaker.
5. Finally do not let your patients be the only human being you interact with from Sunday to Sunday. One devoted young doctor assigned to the Kingston Public Hospital told me that he spent so much time caring for little old ladies suffering from serious or terminal illnesses, that he himself was now depressed, in fact he had forgotten what young ladies looked like. I advised him to take a lunch break each day and eat it on the sidewalk on Knutsford Boulevard. He did and his depression went without a pill. Similarly, 'live-ins' must surround themselves with healthy persons from time to time and not just be locked indoors, 24 hours per day, with a sick or handicapped person. If they don't heed this advice they will surely burn out.
Dr. Carmen Bowen-Wright is a preventive medicine specialist and wellness physician; phone: 927-4301; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
