Tag Archives: love

Caregivers: How Do We Listen at the End of Life?


On Tuesday  we welcomed  Dr. Richard Wagner, M.Div., Ph.D., ACS to our ‘Be A Healthy Caregiver’ show on Blog Talk Radio.

Dr. Wagner’s book ’The Amateur’s Guide to Death and Dying: enhancing the wagner._SL110_End of Life.”   provides us with a realistic view of a topic that is often difficult to talk about.  Out of Seattle, WA., Dr. Wagner has worked in the field of end of life issues for over 30 years.

As Caregivers, we often face the issues of death on a daily basis.  Yet as caregivers, we often help facilitate healthy transitions for the person that we care for and love.  ”Curiously enough, people who are dying usually have a different priority system at this time in their life…..”   As the caregiver, we are so focused  on the needs of our caree, sometimes we just need to be present and listen.

During my Caregiving experience with Fr. Orlando, I had the privilege to hold him while he made his transition.  I would not have been able to do that without knowing from our conversations that he was at peace with his life and had accepted what was going to happen.  Of course, during those marvelous conversations, we had no idea when the time would come, yet we both knew that it would come. Those last few weeks with him were amazing and filled with raw emotions.  Honest, heartfelt conversations seemed to happen with such ease.  That was his way of preparing me for what was coming down the road.   Sometimes, listening is the best answer.

While death is not a ‘lively’ topic to talk about, I am confident that you will find the conversation with Dr. Wagner upbeat, real and sensitive.

To listen to Tuesday’s episode,  simply click here (I would appreciate your feedback on this episode.)

To learn more about Dr. Wagner, click here.

To purchase Dr. Wagner’s books, click here.

Next Tuesday, January 15th at 1:00pm (est) our guest will be Mandy Harrell from WeareverUSA .  The Wearever brand offers comfortable, quality, affordable and stylish apparel solutions for everyday health and wellness concerns.

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To access all our ‘Be A Healthy Caregiver’ episodes on blogtalkradiologo

Simply click here

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Phone A Friend!


 

Photo Credit: Pinterest

 

SunServe’s Phone A Friend program is off and running with a full head of steam. The goal of the program is to pair cohorts for a daily, friendly, phone conversation. The Phone a Friend program allows seniors to feel secure in knowing that someone will be checking in with them on a daily basis while allowing them to gracefully age in place. The unique aspect of the Phone A Friend program is that they senior receives a call from the same volunteer. This model allows the two participants to develop rapport and trust, which in turns leans to more conversations that are meaningful.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

The feedback from both the volunteers and the seniors has been terrific. Our goal of connecting people together has had a positive effect on all the participants. Seniors feel like they are being heard; Volunteers are feeling like they are giving back to the community. This is a win/win for everyone many of these seniors and their families and friends feel as if this program will allow them to remain independent over a longer period and thus increase the overall quality of life.

I have learned through my Caregiving experience and ‘The Purple Jacket’ is that Empathy transmits hope and reality. Transmitting the theory of the empathic communicator to the SunServe Phone Tree provides hope, encouragement and friendship to those who might feel that they are left on the outside, looking in.

To learn more about this Sun-Service contact me via email at cmaclellan@sunserve.org or visit us online  at SunServe

Photo Credit: SunServe Social Services

 

 

 

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Filed under advocacy, Advocate, Bow Tie Guy, caregiver, Gay Caregiving, Gay Seniors, Intergenerational, LGBT, LGBT Caregiving, LGBT Couples, Phone A Friend

The Bow-Tie-Guy Tip of the Day:


Amplify the Positive! 

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The Bow-Tie-Guy Tip of the Day:


 Live your Life, not your Age! 

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The Bow-Tie-Guy Tip of the Day:


Where would we be without Support?  

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The Bow-Tie-Guy Tip of the Day:


The Bow Tie Guy Tip of the Day: Don’t wait around for your life to happen to you. Find something that makes you happy and do it. Everything else is just background noise. — George Mason

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The Bow-Tie-Guy Tip of the Day:


True friends convey authentic emotions.

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The Bow-Tie-Guy Tip of the Day:


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The Bow-Tie-Guy Tip of the Day:


There is only one person who is responsible for your happiness!

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The Bow-Tie-Guy Tip of the Day:


One of the major routes to social change is through audacious theorizing. – Kenneth Gergen

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