Caregivers share their compassion and deep caring each moment as they serve their clients. How often do they pause to consider this? How often do they appreciate the enormous gift of these moments, both the giving to their clients as well as the receiving from them?
Ikor Life Care Management hosted a virtual event sponsored by the ADRC of Door County Caregiver Coalition on November 17, 2020. It’s an annual event that most years includes a day-long celebration with luncheon to honor the area’s caregivers. This year, it was shifted to an online event, with virtual sessions available to caregivers throughout the entire week. Creating a Caregiver Legacy, sponsored by Ikor Life Care Management, offered a heartfelt meditative journey into this very sacred exchange between caregiver and client.
The participants enjoyed a breathwork exercise led by Dr. Dave Ferguson MD, as he skillfully helped to shift each person into a deep sense of gratitude. That was followed by a guided meditation that furthered the caregivers walk into deep gratitude. Marggie Hatala, RN, CEOLD led the group through this exercise that invited the participants to re-experience a moment between themselves and the person they care for. The caregivers were guided towards deeply feeling the emotions of that moment. The story that each caregiver recreated was then added through a reflective writing exercise that can be shared by the caregiver.
The intent of this exercise was to help caregivers to both find more appreciation for their own devotion and loving care, as well as to realize the enormous gift that their clients’ vulnerability provides for them. All present agreed that as they give, they receive. Their written story will live on to help others recognize the devotion and love of caregivers, or to share with the client as a living legacy.
Ikor offers this workshop to other avenues of caregivers such as Assisted Living Facilities, Home Health agencies, and many others. For more information visit www.ikormidwest.com
