Circle of Care

A recent note from my friend Susan tells the story of her mother’s move into a nursing home. After many years of caring for Mum herself, Susan shares about her transition.

Susan wrote, “Placing my mother into a nursing home heightened my sensitivity to the nuances of care.  Firstly, there is the legal or proscribed duty of care.  Her physical needs are met by ensuring she is dressed, fed and lives in a safe and clean environment.  Her mental, spiritual and emotional needs are more challenging, yet well provided through opportunities to attend many and varied stimulating activity programs; discussion groups, bus outings, concerts and church services.  My mother loves these well-considered activities provided by her nursing home. 

However, when asked about the care she receives it is not the activities that matter most.  It is the manner in which she is treated that is paramount.  Mum says that she is treated, “better than the queen; with dignity, love and respect by all the happy staff”. They show a personal interest in her and she is moved by the unexpected acts of kindness, such as a staff member who brought their lunch to her room and chatted to her”.  

Susan’s Mum’s comments are very enlightening. Fulfilling all the basic obligations in meeting duty of care responsibilities may ‘tick the boxes’ but what the recipient really notices is the manner in which the care is provided. Showing a personal interest; providing unexpected acts of kindness; being genuine – these are factors that help to ensure those needing care feel safe, secure and loved – all essential  human needs that are necessary for our wellbeing and health.

This approach not only applies to our older family and friends – our capacity to care for one another extends to all aspects of our life – at home, work, school or sport, or even just chatting to our neighbours!
So often it is the little things that show up our underlying motivation. If we are genuine in our care, we can go that little bit further to show those around us that they are truly loved and appreciated.
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Who, in your circle of care, needs a little extra touch of your kindness today?

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照顾的范围  (Karen牧师4月13日的部落格 Circle of Care)


我最近从友人Susan处得知, 她的母亲入住了老人院.  她照顾了母亲多年, 现在分享这转接经验.

她写道,  “我把母亲送进老人院,  各细节深化了我给她照顾的认识.  首先是要负放弃照顾她的法律责任. 她得要好穿好食和居住安全及洁净环境的. 那较棘手的心理,精神和感情方面的照顾, 却能经由参与振奋性的活动得到; 活动包括分组讨论会, 巴士外遊,音乐会和教会的崇拜聚会等. 我的母亲表示喜欢那老人院这类经考究设计的活动的.
无论如何, 我的母亲认为她享受的照顾不在活动本身, 而在那份关怀方面.  她说受到的待遇过于‘对待女皇那般; 亲善的职员令她感受荣誉,爱心和尊重’.那些职员对她亲切,其中一位还格外亲善地捧餐到她房里, 陪她闲谈呢.”
Susan的母亲所作的评语极富启发性.完成问卷上的小格,并不算回答了照顾责任妥当的, 著重点是受照顾者的待遇. 真心地表现个人关怀, 给予惊喜的善待,才是照顾因素,让需要的人感安全, 得保护和觉爱心 – 全部都是人类的基本需要, 以求幸福和建康的.
这般门径,不只适用于我们对待家里长者和朋友,也适用在生活的每个角落 – 家中,办公室內,学校里,或运动场上,甚至和邻家闲谈时!
很多时,些小的表达就露出真意的. 假如我们真心待人, 多一点滴都能令他人感到被爱和受重视的.
今天在照顾范围内,谁有需要接受你多一点的亲善表示呢?
 
……………
照顧的範圍 (Karen牧師4月13日的博客 Circle of Care)

我最近從友人Susan處得知，她的母親入住了安老院。她照顧母親多年，現在分享她的轉接經驗。
她寫道，“我把母親送進安老院，各細節深化了我給她照顧的認識。首先是要放棄照顧她的法律責任。她得要好穿好食和居住安全及環境清潔的。那較棘手的心理、精神和感情方面的照顧，卻能經由參與振奮性的活動得到； 活動包括分組討論會、巴士外遊、音樂會和教會的崇拜聚會等。我的母親表示喜歡那安老院這類經考究設計的活動的。
無論如何，我的母親認為她享受的照顧不在活動本身，而在那份關懷方面。她說受到的待遇過於‘對待女皇般；親善的職員令她感受榮譽、愛心和尊重’。那些職員對她親切，其中一位還格外親善地捧餐到她房裏，陪她閑談呢。”
Susan母親所作的評語極富啟發性。完成問卷上的小格，並不算回答了照顧妥當的，著重點在受照顧者的待遇。真心地表示個人關懷，給予驚喜的善待，才是照顧的因素，讓需要的人感安全、得保護和覺愛心 － 全部都是人類的基本需要，以求幸福和建康的。
這般門徑，不只適用於我們對待家裏長者和朋友，也適用在生活的每個角落 － 家中、辦公室內、學校裏和運動場上，甚至和鄰居閑談時！
很多時，些小的表達就可露出真意的。假如我們真心待人，多一點滴都能令他人感到被愛和受重視的。
今天在照顧範圍內，誰有需要接受你多一點的親善表示呢？
照顾的范围  (Karen牧师4月13日的部落格 Circle of Care)