Tag Archives: Health and Wellness

June 3, 2019 · 3:08 pm

How to Take the Next Step in Your Career as a Carer

Carers have an incredibly difficult job. Even those who have gone into the vocation of carer with a career in mind will face struggles. From emotional, to physical, the job of a carer is not easy. If you feel fulfilled doing it, however, it can be a very rewarding job. Those that need extra help around the house, with learning, or with dealing with their medical chores will be eternally grateful to you. When it comes to making a difference for others, carers are at the front of the line.

Types of Carers

Generally speaking, there are three main branches of carers outside of the medical industry.

· Adult Carers

These disability carers take care of adults or seniors who need extra care or support going about their day. They can be friends or family, or you can be hired specifically to help those with advanced needs at their home.

· Child Educator Carers

Children with disabilities, special needs, or learning disabilities are still children who deserve to learn, which is why child educator carers exist. These carers teach as well as care for their patients to ensure they receive an education and are cared for appropriately while they are at school.

· End-of-Life Carers

End of life carers can either work in a hospice or at the home of a person in need. Their jobs are some of the most emotionally taxing, as the expectation is that you will be there to care for them right up until their death.

Deciding Which Career Route is Best for You

It can be difficult to choose which career route is best for you, but thankfully, most roles bleed into one another. The only exception, of course, is when you want to teach children who have advanced needs. You will need to achieve certifications both to be a carer and to teach.

How to Further Your Career

To further your career, you have several options.

· Go Back to School

This is ideal for teachers who wish to specialize and therefore improve the value of their skills. With Merrimack teaching degrees, you can either obtain an M.Ed. in Moderate Disabilities or achieve an add-on license.

· Network

Networking is essential for every career, especially if you are working on a freelance basis. You need to build up your client list or find your way into a great agency so that you can find consistent work, are paid appropriately, and above all else have a support group behind you that you can turn to if a patient’s death or suffering hurts you.

· Visit Conferences and Events

Conferences, events, and other industry-related workshops are great ways to improve your career. They are also essential networking opportunities, so either buy a ticket yourself or convince your employer to sponsor you.

· Know How to Negotiate

Last but not least, remember that you will need to negotiate. This means negotiating your salary, or even for a day off. You have needs as well, and you need to take care of those needs so that you can, in turn, provide the best care for your patients.

How to Help Your Loved One Overcome the Fear of Asking For Help

We welcome back our guest writer Trevor to “The Purple Jacket”

Overcoming obstacles in life is only half the battle. The other half is living and functioning after the obstacle has been overcome. Addiction is a complex disease that individuals can violently be sucked into, without any recollection or realization that a substance or behavior has suddenly defined their life so dramatically. Pulling oneself out of addiction is a process – a journey that takes almost a lifetime to conquer. The desire to end an addiction is self-respect, but seeking help itself might possibly be the most frightening step, but the most courageous one and a mark of strength.

By seeking guidance outside of their own opinions, an individual with addiction is completely opening up their emotions and memories, leaving an incredibly personal part of themselves vulnerable to criticism – by no means is that a walk in the park. The fear in asking for help is completely valid and should never be something seen as humorous or a disposition to be taken lightly. Asking for help is always the hardest step. As the supporting friend, family member, or spouse – you are an assurance to your loved one that there is value in seeking help. You are their support system that provides positive affirmations and actions. Not to mention, you also remind your loved one there is a meaningful life outside of addiction, and they have so much to experience that makes life worth living, and that it can be done without unhealthy coping mechanisms and tendencies.

First, sitting down and having an honest, raw conversation with your loved one sets everything on the table and gives you both an opportunity to share how you feel. You are able to learn why they want to take this journey. On the other hand, your loved one will always remember that someone understands their circumstances to the best of their abilities and is willing to be supportive. The utter transparency between you both is a solace, and may even make your loved one speak more easily and freely to a professional therapist or support group in the future. By your encouragement and love, it can give a loved one a little push to take the initiative to find help on their own. You can hold them accountable but also encourage their independence – because self-reliance is all that is necessary. Remember when you asked for help once? It was monumental to feel acknowledged by another human being.

If your loved one wishes, go with them to support groups, wait in the seating area of a psychiatric office, or attend an event with them that will be a bit more bearable with a person by their side. The actual presence of someone during a difficult moment can make all the difference in the world. It is natural to be hesitant doing certain things alone, especially when particular moments require openness.

Besides meaningful conversations and formal treatments to addiction, simply having fun with your loved one is a break from anything disheartening in life. By experiencing the world outside of addiction, your loved one can see that there is truly an end-result to the recovery process. It is easy to lose oneself in addiction, question self-identity, and spiral into a dark place. But by enjoying themselves and letting go of pain – even just for a few minutes – your loved one can find pleasures in things and hobbies that they once loved, or will come to love.

If there is one last thing that helps your loved one, it is never losing a sense of purpose from the trials of their mistakes and relapses, triumphs, and self-doubt that gives them the courage to ask for help. Life isn’t a race to see who can get to the finish line with the least amount of trauma and scars. Life is what they make it, and you hope that even through unexpected and painful bumps along the way – there is not an end, but a never-ending opportunity to give themselves an existence they have always wanted.

Trevor is a freelance writer and recovering addict & alcoholic whose been clean and sober for over 5 years. Since his recovery began he has enjoyed using his talent for words to help spread treatment resources and addiction awareness. In his free time, you can find him working with recovering addicts or outside enjoying about any type of fitness activity imaginable. Trevor can be reached at

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-mcdonald
Website: https://about.me/trevormcdonald
Email: trevorc.mcdonald@gmail.com

Do You Know Your Numbers?

The great aim of education is not knowledge but action . Herbert Spencer

Chris MacLellan with Dr. Sarah Koplow

Do you know your blood pressure? Pulse? Good and Bad Cholesterol? The meaning of saturated fat? And why is it important to your overall health to know these important numbers?

On this episode of “Healing Ties” Dr. Sarah Koplow, PhD, RN assistant professor from NOVA Southeastern School of Nursing breaks down these important numbers and why it is important for each one of us to “Know Our Numbers.” Listen in and learn how Dr. Sarah Koplow is creating “Healing Ties” all around us!

Join Us in Chicago on December 2 and 3 for the 1st Annual National Caregiving Conference hosted by Caregiving.com. Registration is now open by clicking here! . Sponsorship and Exhibitor opportunities available, contact me direct at Chris@thepurplejacket.com for details.

For additional information on the conference click in the National Caregiving Conference click on the icons below!