Stars & Charts and Activity Aprons

Did your elementary school teacher put a sticker on your papers when you had done a particularly good job? Was there a classroom chart which featured stars to record progress? Do you own a Little League award, a sports jersey, a framed commendation from work?

From childhood through adulthood we are hard-wired to respond to physical demonstrations of appreciation and praise; the more personal and sometimes conspicuous the better. Ponder the array of award shows on air today.

Motivational styles vary, but it is a rare person who does not appreciate a physical expression of recognition for work well-done.

How does one chart progress, growth, or accomplishment when caring for someone whose abilities are in decline?

You have to unwind the chart mentality. By this I don't mean resigning yourself to going backwards. I mean intentionally sitting with the star of a present moment to celebrate a present day victory.

Recently a caregiver and her family introduced the use of an activity or sensory apron. Activity aprons are garments made with sensory tasks sewn on; zippers, buttons, textured materials, pockets. They are designed to reduce agitation in person suffering from Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia.

When this particular client had the apron placed upon her lap, she immediately became engaged in the tasks provided. She quieted and then became receptive to other directions. She ultimately allowed her caregiver to give her a bath, something she had been actively resisting for some time. I know we are disinclined to celebrate giving someone a bath. But for this family and their caregiver, this was a star moment. Shiny for the day. I've observed that caregiving brings joy to those who can collect those stars of mostly unobserved victories, and place them not on a chart, but in their hearts.

Activity Aprons can be bought or made. Sew Fishsticks shows you how to make a pretty one and Pinterest has various examples of activity pillows and lap blankets that serve the same purpose. Amazon features a few companies that sell them.

I would love to hear about your star moments.

5 Ways to help the caregiver.

Photographer unknown Collection of National Media Museum.

"One of the benefits of having help is that Mom has been able to read again", a client recently informed me. "Mom" is the primary caregiver of her husband who suffers from long-standing ill health. Her children have lovingly come around her to support her, gently insisting she take care of herself as well as her husband. Because she has accepted help, she has time to return to her life-long pleasure of reading.

So much has been written about the importance of taking care of yourself while care-giving that I hesitate to address the subject. When you take care of someone chronically ill, it is dangerously easy to ignore your basic needs. Easy because the task of marshaling resources during a lengthy illness eclipses your normal awareness of physical and emotional needs. This is a reality I have personally observed and experienced. A disregard for self-care can lead to a decline in your mental and physical health.

Here are 5 questions I have learned from others long practiced in the art of caring for others.

Are you sleeping? 
"Are you kidding? Of course not!" one friend exclaimed when I asked. Taking care of someone ill may remind you of taking care of a newborn. Your loved one moans, gets up often, wanders around the house, or stays up late then sleeps in. You awaken with tension or anxiety. If you need convincing that chronic sleeplessness can seriously harm you, Web Med lists 10 reasons how poor quality rest leads to accidents, depression, and seriously impairs decision making. Brainstorm strategies to recover from inevitable sleeplessness; get professional help, take naps, sleep in another room, arrange to spend the night with a friend or other family member.

Are you eating?
I was waiting in the hospital while my husband underwent major surgery when a good friend called and said "can we come over with dinner?" They brought in an amazing picnic dinner, cold fried chicken, fresh berry pie, homemade pickles and we ate together. I remember this kindness partly because I realized I had hardly eaten in 3 days. Paying attention to when and what you are eating is crucial to maintaining health in the long-haul of caregiving.

Are you breathing?
She burst out laughing when I asked a client this question, "last I looked, I’m still living." Yes, the shallow breathing we do normally, especially under stress keeps us alive but sometimes just barely. When you breathe deeply, the air comes in through your nose fully, fills your lungs, and you will notice that your lower belly rises. The ability to breathe deeply allows you to tap into one of your body’s strongest self-healing mechanisms. It is foundational to many meditative disciplines. Take a deep breath and ask yourself; Am I breathing?

Are you getting out?
Normally I would disqualify a medication run to the drug store as getting out however I know

someone who gives herself a small treat each time she picks up drugs; nail polish, seasonal items, a magazine. She has transformed a frequent task into an outing for herself. Getting out doesn't have to cost money.  Any pleasure that takes you away from your daily stress such as going outside to read will work. Finding ways to have pleasurable outings reduces stress, fights depression and in the end makes you a more effective caregiver.

Are you being honest?
You can't honestly relay the state of affairs to everyone, but being able to honestly express your needs and emotions to someone is critical to staying emotionally and physically strong. Who is your support? Do you need to join a support group, see a professional counselor, or simply tap into your existing network of friends and family? Are you honest with yourself? Try examining your emotional landscape a little bit each day so you can acknowledge the sadness, the loss, the anger and yes, the joy that caregiving brings.

Outside, Go Outside, Be Outside.

Yes, it is pollen season in the Triangle of North Carolina, so if you are an allergy sufferer you might choose to wait a few days before you go outside and inhale deeply. But the temperatures are moderating cool to comfortable now. Time to make the effort to get outdoors every day, even if it is just for a short time. Here are three reasons why.

Ward off Vitamin D deficiencies.

Vitamin D is one of the few vitamins that you cannot get adequately from the foods that you eat. Vitamin supplements can help but the best way to get vitamin D is to expose your bare skin to sunlight. Vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to a whole host of physical ailments, from chronic fatigue to worsening Alzheimer's disease. You are particularly susceptible to this deficiency if you stay indoors. Getting enough exposure to sunlight can happen very quickly, particularly in the summer. You don’t need to tan or burn your skin to get vitamin D. Sit or walk outside for 15 minutes (or less if you have very fair skin) with some bare skin showing to give your body it's needed vitamin boost.

Wake up the senses.

Walking or sitting outside has proven to reduce stress, mitigate depression, and lower blood pressure in study after study. One reason of course is that it requires some exercise and movement to get outside, which is beneficial. Another reason is that the experience of being outside encourages full sensory involvement. Let your skin feel the breeze or the heat of the sun. Take in the changing color of your yard or street; watch people pass by. When your nose smells the dirt or the magnolia blossom and you hear traffic hums or bird songs; your brain is registering a fully alive moment. Drink a glass of sweet tea or eat some fruit in season and you recharge with all five senses.

Wonder at the mystery.
Daily interaction with the great outdoors invites one to be amazed or in awe. Exclaim at how tall the neighbors' child has grown, watch the heavy bumblebee hover over the dogwood blossom, observe the clouds darken and mass before the droplets fall. These common occurrences can still bring a sense a wonder and gratitude when you experience them. They may spur happy memories or cultivate new ones. Each day offers moments of mystery, especially when you get outside.

When Dawn isn't working for Always Best Care clients she is most likely outside.

The art of breath (healthy breathing strategies) - the deep breath

How you breathe is vitally important to your wellbeing. It becomes even more important as you age or when you are under stress. Why? Breathing is how you get vital oxygen into your body and cells, while exhaling "polluted" or "used-up" air. You can use various breathing techniques to enhance your energy, calm down, and prevent the onset of colds and coughs, especially as we transition from summer to fall and winter.

Here is a deep breathing technique. Use it to calm down and become present, thus gaining more while doing less (as opposed to constant multi-tasking).

Become aware

• Sit comfortably; take off any belts
• Become aware of how you are breathing; don't change anything, just become aware of your body breathing, sensing which parts of your body are involved – maybe the chest, maybe the belly/stomach, your nose, mouth, etc.
• Take a deep breath in; however way you normally take deep breaths
• Let the breath out slowly
• Take 2 more breaths this way
• Sense how you are already calmer than you were when you started this exercise

Deep breath

• When you are ready, start a breath by focusing on and filling your belly/stomach first
• When your belly is full, continue the breath into your chest/lung/heart region
• And finally when that region is full take the last bit of air into the area under the shoulders
• These are not separate breaths or steps, just one continuous flow of breath filling 3 different areas of your body
• Let the breath out slowly
• See which feels more comfortable - exhaling through your mouth or nose; at least initially do whichever feels more comfortable; be kind to your body
• Take 3-5 of these deep breaths, then relax your breath
• If your eyes feel like closing at any time, let them; closing your eyes will deepen your focus, meaning your breath; but do whatever feels comfortable
• How do you feel? Is there a sense of peace and calm inside and around you? Enjoy whatever sensation comes up

Practice

• Tony Robbins, the Master personal and business coach says practice makes perfect
• Use this deep breathing mechanism say twice a day, just a few breaths at a time
• It will take time to help the breath flow freely both when inhaling and exhaling; take your time, do as your body allows, being kind to yourself