We begin the second month of our Happiness Project today!
In August, we’re joining. Participants in our project will share what they’re joining in our comments section, below.
Would you like to be a part of our Happiness Project? We’d love to have you! For details and to sign up, go here.
You are a disruptor. The delivery of health care starts with you, continues because of you, and ends with you. Let's disrupt together to make the world better for family caregivers. Join our group to share how you disrupt. And, feel free to share our Caregiving.com flyer wherever you go in your community.
Buy Our Books and CDs
In Take Comfort and Take Comfort, Too, Denise takes a word, applies it to your caregiving situation, and then offers a reflection of hope. Buy here.
Now on CD: Take Comfort, Reflections of Hope for Caregivers. Bring Denise with you in your car, in the waiting room, during your difficult days. Buy here.
The Caregiving Years, Six Stages to a Meaningful Journey, helps you answer the questions: Why me? Why now? What now? Buy here.
Help, A Collection of Stories by Those Who Care, the first in our CareGifters Book Series, is now available! Proceeds of our book sales go toward our CareGifters program. Buy here.
G-J
In August I’m joining the high school’s PTSA, which is a good thing since I’m in charge of membership with a friend, and I’m joining the high school band’s booster club. Its a start!
Donna Ryan
well im starting to join my sister in reading the book the help…it was on denise’s deal of the week wednesday. I have had it since christmas but did not start it. My sister said it was really good so Im joining in and starting it too….My sister and I are going to try and read the same books and join each other in discussions to put our minds on something different during our phone visits.
Im trying to join a support group or volunteer somewhere to break up the day for myself. I have an appointment with a social worker on aug 25..im not getting too excited about it however as Im feeling she deals with mostly dementia and alzheimers but its a start for me to try to join in on something. I have an email also to a center my mom used to attend so Im trying….I will keep you posted.
Bette
Our family has been asked by our church to join a small group and host it in our home. I initially, was hesitant, but I really think it will be a good thing. We have been in this part of PA for almost 2 years. I, in the past, have been “waiting”, hoping to go home one day to RI. I think it’s time to “join” in with the community, to help everyone (including me) feel more at home here.
Sharon
The best I can do with this one is that I will most likely join our church choir again for another season when it starts practicing in late August.
Sharon
Well, it is not sure yet, but it looks like I will be becoming involved with something called Stephen Ministry. My sister told me about this ministry, but I have been just sitting on the info until today. It is a ministry of the Lutheran Church. I am not a Lutheran, but they are willing to provide this service to those outside their denomination. If it works well it should be a wonderful support for me in dealing with the emotions of caregiving. I am nervous about this, but I am also excited about the possibilities. The best part of this is that it costs nothing.
According to their literature “Stephen Ministry is a ministry that equips lay persons to provide confidential, one-to-one, distinctively Christian care to individuals who are experiencing a variety of life needs and circumstances, both within the CLC congregation and outside of it. Stephen Ministers are members of Christ Lutheran Church who have gone through 50 hours of training in providing high-quality Christian care to individuals experiencing a crisis or challenge such as divorce, grief, loss of a job, hospitalization, depression, or loneliness, or any variety of trying circumstances. Stephen Ministers will be assigned a care receiver and meet with that care receiver for about an hour a week. This caring relationship will last for as long as the care receiver needs it.”
If this all falls in place my Stephen Minister will meet with me regularly (up to once a week typically) in my home or a mutually agreeable location. The purpose of the Stephen Minister is to listen, offer support and encouragement, and help me express my thoughts and feelings. The Stephen Minister will help me think about choices and options and help me set goals. My Stephen Minister will pray for me and with me and will encourage me to seek spiritual growth and healing. My Stephen Minister will meet periodically for supervision with other Stephen Ministers to get support and guidance about how to provide the best possible Christian care for me, but my Stephen Minister will keep my identity and my conversations in confidence.
donna ryan
oh sharon….this sounds so wonderful!!….Please email me sometimes and share what you are learning ok? or share with all of us….I think this sounds so great!!…
Denise, thank you for the happiness challenge here….you make us think of words and ways to help improve our situations…
this is just wonderful…it truly is…
who knows sharon, maybe you would not have taken the plunge without the nudge from both your sister and denises challenge to join tis….
donna ryan
ok..well today Im replacing and joining…
for the morning I am joining the world of non caregivers for a few hours…
I decided to replace my fear of doing stuff by myself…I hate going places alone…but I have to start to learn to be more independant…
so Im getting on the bus….Im going to a library to pick up books I requested as well as return ones I have read…I am then going into a nail salon I never was in and with no appointment will ask if I can get a pedicure….I will then head to duncan donuts by myself and sit and have an iced coffee and then do some errands , the post office, things like that….this is the neighborhood my aunt once lived in…I like that library but it is not walking distance….sean always drove me…
but Im joining the more independant group..
wish me luck…this is so out of my element….
but it will be good for me and I will get away from mom for just a little while…
thanks for the challenge…..Im joining….Im trying….
as I read in my joel osteen book this morning
It is so easy to avoid change…the discomfort however is only temporary. It is a growing pain and once you get past that point your going to move up to a new level of victory…
ready, set….here I go…..
Denise
All these updates make me so happy! Sharon: I think you will really enjoy Stephen Ministry, it’s a well-established, well-respected outreach program. Please keep us posted on your experiences with this–it’s a wonderful resource for others. And, Donna, good luck today! Let us know how it goes. The importance of the first step is just that–the first step. Once you leave the apartment, you’ve already succeeded!
Donna Ryan
Im back…and it was wonderful!!!!!!!!!! I enjoyed the bus ride so much….then I browsed the library and got my books….went to the nail place and got my pedicure with no appointment…yippee!!….I then went for my iced coffee and walked up and down the streets admiring the houses and reminscing. This was the neighborhood my aunt lived in and I walked past her old house. I had memories of a little girl walking those streets with her….it was really nice…I then stopped at the the post office and low and behold as I was leaving…my return bus was just arriving. It felt great to join the independant people. What a huge step….it felt wonderful…and I bought back six donuts to share with mom as a treat….I was tempted to buy a dozen but didnt want all those donuts in the house…too tempting …then I would have had to join a weight loss program too lol….
I am so happy I did this today…..
Unit Known as Shandi
It’s taken me most of August to be able to choose what I am joining! I am joining with an adult family home to care for my mom. On Sept. 1st, Mom will be moving to an adult family home for a one month trial period. It’s been a tough decision, but there are too many things that have fallen into place for me not to see the Divine hand in it. I still believe myself to be her primary caregiver, but now I have a team of helpers to help relieve my back from the transfers. I can spend the night whenever I want, in Mom’s private room. At 1:00 today, I’m joining with the two female owners to go over Mom’s daily routine and care needs. I’ve never really had to explain to someone else what she needs each day.
Sorry it’s taken me so long to post this, but an adult family home is a really big thing to “join”!
G-J
I haven’t come up with anything better than what I originally posted (joining PTSA and band boosters at the high school). I’m also joining the athletic boosters, but on paper only. I don’t want to get involved so that doesn’t count.
I have joined the other people on the panel discussion for dinner twice so we can work on what we’ll be saying next month. Does that count?
And tonight, I was reading Spotlight on Caregiving and signed myself up for Wednesday’s webinar, so I guess I’ve joined that, too!
Denise
Hi–In the show I recorded for you guys, I gave you all credit for joining for the Happiness Project. So, you can add a completed “join” to your list! And, G-J, absolutely: The panel you’ve joined counts.
TUKAS: It’s a huge join! Please keep us posted–we all want the best for you and your mom.
Diana
Just joined the Project and am looking forward to it. Coincidentially, I had already determined in August that I would join in the High School Band Boosters and signed up for a couple of committees at the high school. I have let caregiving keep me from getting involved or making commitments for the last few years.