Caregivers

Many in my circle of friends are healthcare workers and caregivers. (I use the term caregiver to encompass both groups in my discussion.) So I thought it is time to dedicate the theme this week to the caregivers among us. A caregiver can be a frontline healthcare professional, a friendly neighbor, or a family member. Caregiving is difficult and many carers can easily forget to take care of themselves first. Self-care is even more important for caregivers at this point in these extraordinarily pivotal times. Before the pandemic, caregiving was already a mental health crisis in this country. With the pandemic layered on, it has become even more severe (Park, 2020).

Due to COVID, many are absolutely burned out by having to provide care in new ways. For some it has been unrelenting (Smith, 2021). Whether that means working directly with COVID-19 patients or dealing with a loved one who has other health issues in this era.

As caregivers, we must take steps to take care of ourselves before we will need others to take care of us. When that oxygen mask drops down from the overhead bin, put it on yourself first. This puts you in a better position to help others.

If you are experiencing any symptoms of burnout, depression, or anxiety, from long-term caregiving, I encourage you to reach out to someone who can help you with these issues. Additionally, you can take some of your own self-care steps such as with meditation and yoga. Here is a fabulous article from the Cleveland Clinic that describes the symptoms and interventions for caregiver burnout.

In light of this, I offer a discussion of the loving kindness meditation. With a small gift.

Loving Kindness (Metta) Meditation

Loving kindness meditation is a very powerful technique that helps you to plant the seeds and grow kindness, compassion and love, for yourself and all others in your world and the world as a whole. The goal of loving kindness meditation is to develop a state of unconditional kindness, caring and compassion. It recognizes that we are one within ourselves and with others for the desire for peace and happiness. Loving Kindness Meditation has been shown to assist caregivers who are faced by multiple challenges in their daily lives (Boellinghaus, Jones & Hutton, 2014). Loving kindness meditation can reduce stress, fatigue, and burnout by helping to maintain overall wellbeing. The loving kindness meditation begins with you and extends to individuals in your life and individuals in society at large.

In times of very high stress, I recommend taking five minutes out of your day and do the first part of this meditation that nurtures you. Take a deep inhalation and slowly exhale. Sit with a straight spine and close your eyes. Mindfully continue to notice your breath and say in your mind:

May I be safe.

May I be happy.

May I be healthy.

May I live in peace

May my heart fill with love

May my whole being fill with kindness

This is a taste of loving kindness that delivers compassion to yourself. In a fully guided loving kindness meditation you would apply similar wishes to someone you care about, the same wishes to someone with whom you are at odds, and then to the everyone in the whole world. Join me tonight for a loving kindness yoga nidra.

Loving Kindness Yoga Nidra

Yoga nidra is one of those self-care options for caregivers. It is such a wonderful self-nurturing practice. Tonight's online yoga nidra meditation at 7:30 pm will be centered around the theme of loving kindness. Register here.

Resources:

Boellinghaus, I., Jones, F. W., & Hutton, J. (2014). The role of mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation in cultivating self-compassion and other-focused concern in health care professionals. Mindfulness, 5(2), 129–138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-012-0158-6

Park, S. S. (2020). Caregivers’ mental health and somatic symptoms during COVID-19. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 76:4 DO 10.1093/geronb/gbaa121.

Smith, M. (December 17, 2021), Doctors and Nurses Are ‘Living in a Constant Crisis’ as Covid Fills Hospitals. New York Times. Retrieved December 19, 2021.

Photo of Dock by Pok Rie from Pexels

Photo of Child with Oxygen Mask by Zurijeta @zurijeta