Beating the odds in any challenge takes discipline, team work and perseverance.
Managing your health or care giving are no different.
How you manage you life or health, not just yesterday or the day before, but how you manage day in and day out and stick to those habits that bring out the best in you takes discipline.
If you study or ask those who have succeeded, be they soccer greats such as Pele to pro hockey players to seasoned care givers, they always look after themselves with a healthy routine - even in the off season.
When injured or 'down', they respect their limitations and take the time and responsibility to look after themselves. It takes effort to be disciplined and get back in the game.
As a caregiver you owe it to yourself and your loved one to be disciplined, to be responsible to take time and just be you.
There are not many who have beat the odds alone. Even Gretzky, the very best, did not score goals alone. For one, he had Marty McSorley clear the way for him. As well, he had an entire team of players, family, coaches, equipment managers, trainers and managers backing him.
Indeed, he is great, but he did not get there alone. Successful people enlist the help of others. Allow others to clear the way for you.
Letting others know when you appreciate their efforts, and letting them know what works makes for a stronger team.
Care providers need to know when you have succeeded just as much as they need to know what does not work. Nurses, doctors, receptionists, therapists and dieticians are part of your team. Ask for help. No one goes it alone. Who's on your team?
Finally, it takes perseverance to beat the odds. Any worthy effort takes work and more work. Successful people pour thousands of hours into their passion. Malcolm Gladwell, in his book Outliers, mentions the 10,000 hour rule.
Perhaps the experience of our team accounts for some of those hours. Even so, we all know we will win some and lose some. If you didn't win today, look to tomorrow. Like they say on the ice and on the soccer pitch, have fun, work hard and "Keep your head up."
Jan Gazley RN, BScN is a nurse with 25 years of experience including caring for people with dementia. She owns and operates One to One Home Health. Contact her at onetoonehomehealth.ca or 604-786-6165.
Wendy Thompson MA is a gerontologist, caregiver consultant and coach, published author and former olympian. Wendy is available for consulting, coaching at 6042750091.
