Four years ago, Joe & Patty Schlicher took over a community golf outing that had been held for many years to support WPA. Together with their friends and family, they have held the “Movers & Shakers Classic” golf outing in Elkhorn as a way to raise awareness and money for WPA.
Joe & Patty’s support is evident through their work year-round, not just at the golf outing. They were instrumental in starting a Rock Steady Boxing class at the Geneva Lakes Family YMCA, and they started a support group for people with PD and caregivers in conjunction with the Boxing class. Patty also joined WPA’s newly formed Caregiver Committee to help us expand our programming.
Joe & Patty were surprised with the Tulip Award at the Movers & Shakers Classic on June 2. The award recognizes a worthy individual, couple, or family who have shown dedication and a commitment toward helping people with PD and educating the public about PD.
We are so grateful to Joe & Patty for the work they have done to promote hope, community, support, and resources for people with PD and their loved ones!
Caregivers often carry around undeserved guilt, believing that they aren’t doing enough for their loved ones. This guilt can make the caregiving role even more stressful than it already is. One might ask why a caregiver feels guilty when they’re doing such a courageous job. Here are some reasons:
Resentment for personal time lost – It’s normal to feel like you’re missing something when so much of your time is taken up taking care of someone else. The caregiver thinks that they shouldn’t feel this way.
Unresolved issues – Many times, there are issues stemming from childhood or arguments in the past that hinder the caregiving process. Many caregivers feel guilty about this.
Comparing yourself to others – Some caregivers will look at another caregiver and think that they could never accomplish what that other person did.
Knowing placement is inevitable – There can be tremendous guilt involved when a caregiver has to place their loved one in assisted living or a nursing home.
Dealing with your own issues – You may be dealing with personal or health problems yourself, which takes away from your caregiving responsibilities.
Ways to Cope with Caregiver Guilt
Acknowledge the guilt – It’s normal to feel guilt from time to time. Once it’s recognized, we are better able to deal with it.
Look at the bigger picture – Although you may be stressed with a particular situation now, it will not last forever. Look at the sacrifices you make for your loved one and realize that you are doing a great job.
Accept that you’re human and have flaws – All of us make mistakes from time to time. Some of us may be good at the physical aspects of caregiving, while others may be better able to handle the emotional toll. Recognize your strengths and don’t focus on the negative.
Make time for yourself – This is easier said than done, but it’s a must! Even if it’s just an hour or two a week, go out and have coffee with a friend, catch a movie, attend a caregiver support group, or just curl up and read a book. Taking time out helps you put your situation in better perspective.
Know that you are making the best decision for you and your loved one at that time – This can be hard to accept, especially if you’ve made a promise to a loved on in the past that you can no longer keep. A change in a situation may force you to break that promise, but realize that the promise was made under different circumstances. You are making the best decision with new circumstances.
Deal with unresolved issues or accept them for what they are – Many times, we may be taking care of someone who we resent, for many reasons. You can choose to try and resolve those feelings from the past to allow you to care for that person fairly. You can also choose to allow someone else to care for that person because you know you cannot rightfully do so. Either way, this is something you need to consider if your past with that person is an issue for you. Talk to a professional if necessary to make the best decision for both you and your loved one.
Reach out for support from family and friends; seek caregiver support groups or professional help to work through your feelings of guilt. Know that you are not alone in your caregiving journey and the help is available. Most of all, remember that you are doing the best that you can!
In the 1970s, Golfer Cherie Zaun was on her way toward a promising career, and put her career on hold to raise two children. In the 1990s, with her children grown, Cherie decided to follow her dream: to compete at the highest level in golf. With a lot of hard work and dedication Cherie earned her way to the LPGA tour. She competed in over 30 tournaments and practiced week after week to improve her play. Struggling with her game, she began to realize that something was not quite right with her body. She tried to remain strong and work through it, only to have her symptoms get worse.
In 2003, determined to figure out what was going on with her body, Cherie left the tour, and was diagnosed with Parkinson disease. Symptoms of Parkinson disease can include tremor, slowness of movement, rigidity, problems with balance, and more. While Parkinson’s can be managed with exercise and medication, it is chronic and progressive and has no cure.
Cherie chose to get involved with many organizations and events that promote living well with Parkinson disease. The LPGA tour lost a very talented player, but the Parkinson world gained a great spokesperson. Cherie wants to be a part of the journey to find a cure for Parkinson’s in her lifetime. She now travels around the country speaking and appearing at charity golf outings — including the Movers & Shakers Classic on Saturday, June 2 at Evergreen Golf Course in Elkhorn, Wisconsin.
Coordinated by Joe & Patti Schlicher, the Movers & Shakers Golf Classic includes a golf outing, live and silent auctions, raffle, and a dinner for golfers, family members, and the community. Cherie will be a part of the day, and will be sharing her story at dinner. All proceeds from the event benefit Wisconsin Parkinson Association, which provides hope, community, support and resources for people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones.
“We are so honored the Movers & Shakers Classic has again chosen to support WPA,” said Gary Garland, executive director of Wisconsin Parkinson Association. “This annual event has raised over $35,000 that assists support and exercise groups and educational programs around the state. Cherie’s presence will be a great addition this year!”
Cost to participate in the golf outing (including dinner) is $96/golfer. The dinner only option is available for $24 (for a hamburger or brat) or $32 (for steak or chicken). To participate or to donate money or an item for the auction, contact Joe Schlicher at 262-949-8011.
No matter how much we love them, caring for family members can be a very stressful job. And all that stress can take its toll on our health and make our role as family caregivers even more difficult.
One of the best ways to reduce stress and feel better about your caregiver role is to laugh. Laughter has been shown to improve both physical and emotional health and to help us feel renewed and rejuvenated.
Here are six simple ways to add more laughter to your life:
Make funny friends. People who make you laugh not only give you the gift of laughter, they also help teach you how to change your perspective on life and lighten up yourself.
Read funny greeting cards especially if you’ve had a really stressful day. Greeting cards are great because they deliver a laugh almost immediately and they represent a diversity of types of humor.
Have five of your favorite funny movies saved so you can watch them when you’re feeling overwhelmed by stress. Consider funny movies to be part of your emergency first aid humor kit. If you can’t think of your favorites offhand, check out the American Film Institute’s list of 500 funniest movies of all time.
Wear a funny button in public. Wearing a funny button communicates to everyone who sees you that you have a sense of humor and are open to hearing about their humorous experiences.
Look for the funny. Instead of focusing on life’s miseries, try to find the laughter in everything that goes on around you. The majority of things we laugh at come from spontaneous situations that aren’t meant to be funny. Think of it as looking at the world through a pair of Groucho glasses.
Fake it. Studies show that you don’t have to feel like laughing to get the benefits! It’s just like exercise; if you work out you’ll get fitter whether you feel like working out or not. Only if you fake laughter, chances are you’ll soon feel like laughing for real.
The Italian island of Sardinia has more than six times as many centenarians as the mainland and ten times as many as North America. Why? According to longevity researcher Susan Pinker, it’s not a sunny disposition or a low-fat, gluten-free diet that keeps the islanders alive so long — it’s their emphasis on close personal relationships and face-to-face interactions. Learn more about super longevity as Pinker explains what it takes to live to 100 and beyond.
After a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, adjustments and renovations both small and large can help make your home more comfortable — and safer — for yourself or a loved one with Parkinson’s disease, especially if gait, balance and fatigue symptoms are an issue.
Our community shared changes they made around the home that helped them. You can also find our guide to assistance products for Parkinson’s disease such as utensils with a padded, ribbed handle and non-slip shoes, which can also help make life at home with Parkinson’s disease more comfortable.
Not all of these recommendations may be the right fit for you or your loved one. Connect with an occupational therapist for personalized advice on making changes around your home. An OT can also help you plan for how to make further adjustments as the disease progresses.
1. Start with small changes, like getting rid of potential obstacles on the floor such as throw rugs and extension cords. Leave plenty of space between pieces of furniture, and create a clear path through your home.
2. Tackle the bathroom. Start by getting rid of bath mats that may slip, and add a non-slip mat to the shower or bath tub. Several commenters recommended getting an elevated toilet seat, which can help make it easier to stand back up. Be careful not to use a towel rack or toilet paper dispenser for help getting up — if possible, install safety rails instead.
3.Add more lights around the house. Light makes navigation easier and can also boost mood, one commenter noted. Touch lights and lights that respond to sound also help.
4.If it’s in your budget,install railings along walls and hallways to help with balance and prevent falls.
5. Invest in chairs that are easier to get out of, such as adjustable recliners or chairs with straight backs, firm seats and arm rests. Firm cushions can add height and help with standing, as well.
6.Consider making more significant renovations, if your budget allows, such as building ramps, stair lifts and wider doorways. Medicare covers different types of portable medical equipment, but not permanent installations.
7.Besides practicality,also makeadjustments for comfort. One commenter even found a way to help her two Yorkies sleep better, too, after her husband started acting out his dreams.
In order to realign WPA’s Mission Statement with our goals and program offerings, our Board of Directors recently revamped the statement:
Providing hope, community, support, and resources for people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones.
This new mission statement truly shows what WPA is able to provide for YOU. We are a broad and diverse organization, providing you with what you need as you navigate life with Parkinson’s – whether it’s your own Parkinson’s, or that of a loved one.
This new mission statement is flexible and broad, and doesn’t focus on any particular program or service we offer. We are constantly seeking opportunities to expand and broaden how we connect with people with Parkinson’s, caregivers, medical professionals, and more.
Finally, this new mission statement is brief and easy to remember. When someone new connects with WPA, we want to be able to easily share with them our place in this community!
Studies confirm that caregivers play host to a high level of compassion fatigue. Day in, day out, workers struggle to function in caregiving environments that constantly present heart wrenching, emotional challenges. Affecting positive change in society, a mission so vital to those passionate about caring for others, is perceived as elusive, if not impossible. This painful reality, coupled with first-hand knowledge of society’s flagrant disregard for the safety and well being of the feeble and frail, takes its toll on everyone from full time employees to part time volunteers. Eventually, negative attitudes prevail.
Compassion Fatigue symptoms are normal displays of chronic stress resulting from the care giving work we choose to do. Leading traumatologist Eric Gentry suggests that people who are attracted to care giving often enter the field already compassion fatigued. A strong identification with helpless, suffering, or traumatized people or animals is possibly the motive. It is common for such people to hail from a tradition of what Gentry labels: other-directed care giving. Simply put, these are people who were taught at an early age to care for the needs of others before caring for their own needs. Authentic, ongoing self-care practices are absent from their lives.
If you sense that you are suffering from compassion fatigue, chances are excellent that you are. Your path to wellness begins with one small step: awareness. A heightened awareness can lead to insights regarding past traumas and painful situations that are being relived over and over within the confines of your symptoms and behaviors. With the appropriate information and support, you can embark on a journey of discovery, healing past traumas and pain that currently serve as obstacles to a healthy, happier lifestyle.
Many resources are available to help you recognize the causes and symptoms of compassion fatigue. Healing begins by employing such simple practices as regular exercise, healthy eating habits, enjoyable social activities, journaling, and restful sleep. Hopefully, the information on compassionfatigue.org will be of use to you and help you jump-start your process.
Accepting the presence of compassion fatigue in your life only serves to validate the fact that you are a deeply caring individual. Somewhere along your healing path, the truth will present itself: You don’t have to make a choice. It is possible to practice healthy, ongoing self-care while successfully continuing to care for others.
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