It’s back to school time for many. Regardless if you are active in a school, or not, you are likely familiar with this kind of feeling and energy.
Perhaps you remember when your kiddos were itty-bitty. You were in that chapter when they were getting a little older. As much as you absolutely loved them with all of your heart, they drove you a little crazy to be around them ALL.THE.TIME!? It was never that you didn’t want to be a parent 24/7, you just needed to be with yourself to go to work, run an errand, go to the bathroom, or be with another, without that itty-bitty kiddo with you ALL.THE.TIME. Your mind, body, and soul was craving some attention, too.
Perhaps you also remember what it was like when that kiddo went to a family member’s house, or daycare, or school for the first time? Although it might have been a little challenging at first to be away from each other, you soon learned that they were, not only safe and taken care of with the help of someone else, their mind, body, and soul was being nourished within this other environment!
They were on a schedule with healthy meals, engaging in mental and physical activities, and experiencing stimulating interactions that helped to create and build their own little identity.
If there HAD ever been any sort of emotion of guilt or shame for them being with someone else, that quickly dissolved and was replaced with gratitude and joy that they are not just safe, but thriving and truly fulfilled within this new environment.
In turn, you reclaimed YOUR identity and started to thrive again as you can now give your mind, body, and soul the nourishment and attention it has been needing and craving.
Let’s fast-forward together on this journey in life. Turning several pages to open a chapter much later on your path.
Now, rather than caring for a young child, you (or someone you know) is caring for a grandparent, parent, aunt, uncle, or even their spouse who needs more attention. As you are caring for your sweet loved one, it is starting to take over aspects of your life and WHO you are. It’s like your identity is now being intertwined, or fully consumed, as a caregiver, compared to a son, daughter, niece, nephew, husband, or wife. The relationship dynamics have shifted, perhaps all.the.time?
It is not always about the time or the logistics of caring for another. Many caregivers helping family members can and WANT to help their loved one most of the time, or even full-time; however, often, the nourishment of their own mind, body, and soul starts to fall to the wayside.
Similar to a new parent who is desperately seeking some time away to shower, shop, nap, work, read, or be social with someone other than who they are caring for, people who are caregiving for a senior loved one also needs to nourish their mind, body, and soul for their own sanity, and so they CAN be a caregiver when needed.
So, how does one find relief with seniors?
Fortunately, here in Festus, there is an incredible win-win solution for caregivers AND seniors to reclaim each of their identities with a nourishing and soul-connecting Senior Day Program.
Local Occupational Therapist, Dr. Jannah Oppermann, who has over two decades of experience working directly with seniors, recently remodeled and opened Senior Care Solutions, The Collins House, a senior living community. If you are local, you are likely familiar with this large brick home on the corner of West Main Street and Collins Drive in Festus, Missouri. The interior and exterior remodel and aesthetics of this transformation is simply stunning!
While they are booked with their five full-time live-in residents, they are now accepting inquiries and applications for their Senior Day Program. Not to diminish the level of care or confuse this analogy with a negative connotation of a child day care setting, the concept of a senior day program is very similar.
One would conveniently drop off their loved one for them to enjoy a consistent and engaging schedule that would likely look something like this:
- Settling in with happy hellos, coffee, and the news
- Healthy, nourishing breakfast, socializing with others
- Daily devotions and feeling into gratitude
- Age-appropriate activities…perhaps group exercises, volunteering, or a field trip
- Fresh and satisfying lunch, laughing with others
- Fun afternoon activity…perhaps a game, craft, or entertainment
- Slow down, rest, and recharge a little
- Happy hour with a sweet afternoon treat and maybe a cocktail or mocktail
- Greeting our loved one who picks us up, ready to go home for the night
If a caregiver had ever had any sort of emotion of guilt or shame for their loved one being with someone else, that has quickly dissolved and is now replaced with gratitude and joy that they were not just safe, but thriving and truly fulfilled and nourished within this new environment, in the company of others.
This allows one to reclaim their identity to thrive again as everyone receives the mind, body, and soul nourishment and attention that it has been needing and craving.
Caregivers can schedule their time in advance for as little as two days per week. The goal is to develop a consistent routine, so that everyone…the person attending, as well as the caregiver…can really reap the many benefits of how this Senior Day Program can truly nourish the mind, body, and soul of everyone involved.
As identities are reclaimed, the relationship dynamic of a caregiver can go back to their role as being a nourished son, daughter, niece, nephew, husband, or wife.
Thank you to Jannah and the Senior Care Solutions team for creating a beautiful, safe, and loving Senior Day Program that provides Soul-Connecting Solutions for seniors AND caregivers.
As always, when you share these stories, you create an opportunity for others to learn about ways they can connect with their mind, body, and soul…which supports all of us.
Redefining Senior Living One Home at a Time
102 Collins Dr.
Festus, MO 63028
314-749-0986
info@seniorcaresolutionsfestus.com
Senior Care Solutions on Instagram
Learn more about what sets the Senior Care Solutions team apart to connect people back to their true identities by truly supporting the minds, bodies, and souls of everyone they interacts with:
Senior Care Solutions – Redefining Senior Living One Home at a Time
Senior Care Solutions supports our community:
10/12/24 – Autumn Ridge Car Show to Benefit Kade’s Playground
My appreciation for caregivers:
