“APPRECIATIVE" CAREGIVING & OUR NATION’S CAREGIVERS

By Vaidehi Krishnan

?“There are only four kinds of people in the world – those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.”

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“Let us collectively take Care of our Caregivers too” – Appreciatively, Team WS!

The need for caregiving (demand) tended to, by a whole array of caregivers (supply) both at household and institutional levels, determines the costs of ‘caregiving’ which are threateningly exorbitant. As such, only deep reflection, analysis, congruent and timely action could help balance the lopsidedness in order to set right asymmetries of demand and supply. This is for both raising the standard of ‘caregiving’ in a nation, as well as for reducing the cascading negative effects on caregivers themselves. Over and above this, are the ripple effects of these on their near and dear, dependent groups of people including infants and the young, which need to be dealt with, ensuring empathy, tact, circumspection and maturity.

For instance, elderly couples caught unawares with either of them diagnosed with debilitations like dementia or terminal illness like cancer, a younger sibling born with a disability, demise of a loved one or a relative in a close-knit family, or those devastated through a huge financial loss, marital break-ups, are some examples. They all get confronted bitterly and a bit suddenly too, in many cases, with definite and severe repercussions on those surrounding them, as well, including their own children, infants and others.? This is so, especially in the case of young children, who? are themselves, still so dependent on these very caregivers.

With poor preparation in terms of financial, physical and psychological strength to cope with such huge and sudden ‘change(s)’ in their hitherto successful and peaceful, smooth-sailing lives, little thought would have gone into the far-reaching impacts of such ‘change’ in their own lives as well as that of others in the orbit.

The aim of article is to describe how the repercussions of “overburdened caregiving” steadily manifest in public spheres as well. For instance, a teacher-cum-caregiver-at-home; a policeman on duty simultaneously battling with domestic issues at home or other such afflicted public servants facing sudden unforeseen circumstances/events in their personal lives, are also the very same ones on whom an entirely different set of people too, happens to depend upon.

?Thus, the entire scenario of caregiving intertwined with other issues, particularly in the Indian context is perceived as a “three-tiered” issue at stake – at personal, household and institutional levels. Also, the nature of complications caused by such ‘fatigued caregivers’ and how they constitute a poorly-performing human resource group, serving public domain, while playing their respective professional roles, further creating situations for our nation, is so grave and complex.

Next comes, the section where remedial measures are discussed/suggested highlighting the role of women as caregivers. Discussed here is the concept of ‘self-care’ which when promoted among them from earlier on in life, would go a long way in improving their plight, as women constitute nearly fifty percent or more of our huge population, with many of them springing up almost instinctively and providentially as nurturing caregivers of aged and infants at home, by default.

Lastly, attention is drawn to the pattern of institutional response to this important issue as to how the losses due to ignoring the ‘need for examining’ any of the aspects with a holistic vision and a national-level perspective could consequentially cost a great deal, in the long run. Alongside are discussed, how some income-generating possibilities too, could be created while looking at remedial measures like organizing grooming sessions on:

?? Self-care

?? Emotional Intelligence

?? Social service

?? Coaching/Counselling

?? Trainings related to professional Geriatric Care

?? Caring for Physically Challenged Persons

?? Dealing with Emergencies

?? & ‘Appreciative Living’ ?… to suggest a few.

?Readers of this article would thus be:

• Sensitized to the importance of ‘caring for caregivers’ and the long-term implications of long-drawn caregiving; as home makers, family members, frontline workers, nurses and others serving in important ‘public servant’ capacities. Equally so, is how to buffer the emotional needs of caregivers from time to time;
• Encouraged to explore ways in which philanthropic institutions could be set up to cater to the multiple needs of a single household or units of a community;
• ?Guided to explore the process of using individual and institutional expertise ??‘Appreciatively’, to plug in all that it takes to minimize at the least, all factors possibly falling in collective control, thus promoting the spirit of ‘Appreciative Caregiving’.

Hence, all individual experts and institutional stakeholders resonating with the above views expressed here, or others interested in considering this article for their journals, or for extending any kind institutional/collaborative support to our organization or involvement in action-research projects, could get in touch with the author towards mutually deciphered developmental aims.

This would, to a large extent, help shape the collective visioning of remedial measures required to abate cases of surmounting challenges faced by various patient-groups, seekers of residential/institutional or palliative care, as well as the corresponding numbers of caregivers mushrooming - only to sooner or later, face worse predicaments themselves.

?Readers’ feedback, viewpoints and responses are all most welcome!

?The author is the founder of ‘Women’s Synergy’ (WS), a registered non-profit organization facilitating ‘Synergies & Symbiotic Relationships’ among Indian women from varied backgrounds and the creation of a reservoir of resources, both financial and non-financial, for less-privileged and challenged women.

She can be contacted at 9711073161, or through email sent to: [email protected] - www.facebook.com/womensynergy.