\u201cDid the staff tell you what you COULD do?\u201d the nurse asked Leo as he outlined all the prohibitions given to him after suffering a stroke. Indeed, without assistance in how he might creatively adapt previous activities to his new physical limitations, he felt that \u201cmy life is over.\u201d With a singular focus on safety, Leo\u2019s caregivers neglected to see that he was given a prescription for a life he didn\u2019t see as worth living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All of us, no matter how what our circumstances, need a reason to wake up in the morning. In a rush to a remedy, well meaning family members and professionals can overlook an exploration of what brings meaning to an individual\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do we reconcile the reality of necessary limitations with a desire to maintain a sense of self, a sense of competency and worth? An older adult facing a loss in function and abilities may cling to \u201cwhat was\u201d, disconnected from the caregivers and providers who, with good intent, offer encouragement and support to \u201cmove on.\u201d The challenge is to bridge that disconnect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the opening of A Poisonwood Bible<\/em>, author Barbara Kingsolver reminds us \u201cone has only a life of one\u2019s own.\u201d An extension of that obvious statement is the often-overlooked consideration that we all learn and grow in our own way and at our own pace. Coping with grief and loss is, in many ways, a solitary and individual experience. Caring for another who is in emotional pain because of a loss of health and function includes acknowledging the experience and its pain. When we see another suffer, we may too quickly look for a remedy to make it \u201cbetter\u201d. Support often involves simply being with the other, allowing time and space for grief before urging the individual to \u201cgo forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning in life, it seems, comes from authentic encounters. No one can create meaning for another, but perhaps in care giving we can make a contribution. How do we help an older adult continue to look for and find meaning as opportunities seem increasingly denied? Some suggestions for opening an exchange that can help the older adult find their own answers and their own sense of meaning:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resiliency is a gift of aging \u2014 older adults don\u2019t achieve longevity without a significant spirit of resolve. As we care for older adults and help them accept life losses with grace and a sense of meaning, we are well advised to look to our elders for that store of resiliency and take our cues.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Coping with grief and loss is, in many ways, a solitary and individual experience. Caring for another who is in emotional pain because of a loss of health and function includes acknowledging the experience and its pain. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23,24,16],"tags":[54,88,18,87,62,69,73,48],"class_list":{"0":"post-67","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-eldercare","7":"category-end-of-life","8":"category-care-manager","9":"tag-aging-well","10":"tag-care-for-older-adults","11":"tag-caremanager","12":"tag-gift-of-aging","13":"tag-healthy-aging","14":"tag-loss-of-function","15":"tag-senior-health","16":"tag-senior-medicine","17":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\n\n