6 minute read
Trends
Compassion is Vital
Both for yourself and for others
YVETTE GAGNON
FOUNDER, CEO, COMFORTING COMPANIONS CARE PROVIDERS INC
We all expect compassion when we are at our most vulnerable, but do we know how to give compassion to others and to ourselves? Do we understand the importance of this in our day-to-day lives, and do we truly understand how crucial it is to our wellbeing?
Compassion is defined as “sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it.” This is much different from sympathy, which focuses on the understanding of others pain — not necessarily the act of wanting to alleviate it.
For some people, the ability to be compassionate comes easily. Think of those who have chosen a line of work where they are being of service to others at critical times. We would all agree that we absolutely need them to be compassionate and care for our emotional wellbeing as much as they are caring for our physical state. For others, being compassionate is more difficult. They may be too focused on the task and timeline at hand, which is understandable as people are asked to do more with less. They may also feel the need to look away, pass judgement unconsciously on someone else’s choices. They may not always fully understand what others need. We can also get caught up in our own lives, our own challenges with family, finances, or health, and it can become easy to feel that our struggle is the most important thing at that moment in time. The truth is that for all of us, no matter what the struggle, we all need compassion at different times in our life. We all need someone to see us, to hear us, and to validate our feelings, helping us to feel understood and cared for in that moment. It’s what makes us human.
Dementia care is very much the same. It requires us to put ourselves in the shoes of others — to help us try and figure out what those living with dementia need at that moment in time, since they cannot always tell us. Then, we find a way to support them while still allowing them to be who they are at that moment. It requires a great deal of compassion, understanding and patience to help them navigate in the moment. It happens with listening, a kind word, a gentle approach, and a deep respect for the person. It also requires an awareness that they are doing the very best they can, at that moment in time — but then, aren’t we all?
Compassion is like a muscle; we can strengthen it, or it can deteriorate. You can decide when and where to offer it in your life. Some is always better than none. Decide what kind of person you want to be and let that guide your actions. Just remember to be as compassionate with yourself as you are with others, because we can often be hardest on ourselves. It’s also important to know that if you provide care personally or professionally, you are more at risk for burnout if you are too focused on others. Get your rest, practice good nutrition and exercise. Most importantly, remember compassion is a choice. It happens in an instant with a willingness to change that moment in time for that person — because you cared. ■
Yvette Gagnon is a Certified Dementia Care Practitioner and a Positive Approach to Care Trainer. She owns Comforting Companions, a service dedicated to the social and emotional wellbeing of others by providing companion care and dementia education.
comfortingcompanions.ca
Make working at home work for you
Five ways to jumpstart home improvements and renovations
PAM TOWER REGISTERED INTERIOR DESIGNER, TOWER INTERIORS
Remember the old days, when you used to think: “Wouldn’t it be nice to work from home?” You had visions of peaceful days at the kitchen island, swaddled in a soft sweater with a steaming cup of tea to your right, a healthy snack to your left, and the cat purring at your feet.
Instead, if you’re like a lot of people 19 months into the pandemic, the thrill of working from home is gone — that cozy vision replaced by annoying reality. You’re working in your bedroom because the kitchen is too dirty, the kids are home from school with a sniffle again, the cat is scratching at the door, you have a Zoom in six minutes, and you’re trying to find a dress shirt to wear with your pajama bottoms but you can’t open the closet door because your “standing desk” (the ironing board) is in the way.
Let’s face it — work life and home life have never been more intertwined. Expectations for being physically present at work have changed, likely for good. Plus, our colleagues can literally see into our lives through our computer screens, and sometimes it’s a little too much information!
Using our homes in these new ways is now normal. No matter when COVID-19 is behind us, we’ll continue to work where we live — and spend a lot more time at home. Our living spaces need to be versatile and functional, allowing for separation between work and family time while still making the most of the space available.
This is where an Interior Designer comes in. A Registered Interior Designer helps you focus on your lifestyle, optimize your space with proper storage, and solve functionality problems with a more organized home layout.
Remember that spending money on your home is a good investment. As a professional celebrating 25 years in business, I have a few recommendations for getting a jumpstart on your home improvements and renovations:
1. Patience is a virtue. Hoping to renovate next spring or summer? Start planning now. Call your Interior Designer, research products, make a list of contractors, and review your budget.
2. Your Interior Designer is now your best friend. You have the time to plan now, so let’s plan! Because she sees space differently from the people who live in the house, your designer can analyze your space and show you what’s possible. These creative options are going to solve problems you hadn’t even recognized were problems.
3. Drawings first, contractor second. Contractors are swamped, and they need drawings before they can quote. If you hit the ground running with drawings from your Interior Designer, you’re already several steps ahead.
4. Be flexible. The rumours are true. The cost of home improvement has gone up, and while lumber is affordable again, the supply chain can be unpredictable and it’s important to be open to your second or third choice. Don’t get hung up on that one perfect light fixture or stuck on that one style of tile. Being open-minded and flexible will keep your renovation running smoothly.
5. Order your appliances and furniture early. Fridges, stoves, and dishwashers that used to take six weeks to come in can now take six months. Same goes for furniture, especially custom items. Once you and your Interior Designer have finalized your space plan layouts, you’ll know exactly what to order.
Our clients say they had no idea what was possible until we showed them. Making your home functional, comfortable, flexible, and beautiful is more than an investment in future value — it’s an investment in yourself and your family, today. ■
halifaxinteriordesign.com
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