I am finally getting around to another posting. The Aging in America conference was great, there were so many sessions to choose from it was hard to make a decision. I was fortunate to attend a session given by the psychologist for The Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation. They have copyrighted the term "compassion fatigue" for professional and family caregivers and gave us a copy of the Ten Commandments of Caregiving. I want to share those with you.
1. Take the oxygen first, 2. Never assume, 3. Have ongoing family conferences, 4. Do not isolate, 5. Do not take anything personally, 6. Plan ahead and have a contingency plan, 7. Do not fall prey to shame and stigma, 8. Use community resources, 9. Honor sacred memories and 10. Find humor in many places.
I was also able to attend a full day workshop given by the Rosalyn Center for Caregiving and heard of many exciting programs that are being designed to assist caregivers with education, skills and support. More on that in my next posting.