How to Let Go of Past Grudges

By Roz Jones

If we look back over our lives as caregivers, we can reflect on this question. Who hasn’t been hurt by someone? Maybe your spouse cheated on you. Maybe your best friend from high school stole your boyfriend. Maybe you have a co-worker who is stealing your ideas or a boss who bullies you. Worse, you might have experienced trauma from physical, mental, or other forms of abuse. As time passes, some wounds don’t heal, and when that happens, you could end up carrying a grudge. Grudges are those leftover feelings of anger and resentment that prevent you from growing as a person. It’s time we let go and move beyond our pasts.

Tips to Let Go of Grudges and Get Your Life Back

Holding a grudge is often an indication of unforgiveness. It can tear at your soul and corrode your physical and emotional health. It can affect all of your current and future relationships as a caregiver. Take the needed steps to release the grudge and gain your life back:

Establish Why You Are Holding the Grudge: You need to determine what the problem is so that it can be forgiven. Sometimes, you will find that the offense is not worth the grudge. Other times, you will know precisely what is causing the pain.
Consider the Benefits of Forgiveness: Choosing to forgive does not mean you forget, nor does it mean that the other person won. Instead, it means you let go of the resentment holding you back from living your life fully.
Acknowledge Your Emotions: Avoid stuffing the emotions down. Use a journal if you want, but take some time to examine your feelings about the harm you received. Also, think about how this affects your behavior and your relationships.
Look at it from Their Perspective: This will not always apply depending on the harm done. However, try putting yourself in their shoes. Under similar circumstances, would you have done the same thing to them?
Talk with the Other Party: Open communication can remedy some grudges simply. If you believe it will help, approach the other party to see if they will talk with you.
Release the Victimhood: Choose to accept what happened and your feelings about it. You don’t have to wait for an apology. (HINT: You may never get one.) Instead, stop playing the ‘wounded one’ card and take back your life by healing, releasing the anger and the grudge.
Avoid Dwelling: This may be the most challenging part, but it is critical. Once you choose to forgive, don’t look back. Avoid dwelling on the situation. If others want to bring it up, change the subject. Your healing is worth it.

Grudges don’t need to define you as a person. Let go of the past and spring forward to your new life by releasing resentments today.

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We’re beginning to launch into new territory with the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Caregiver Connection! The Caregiver Connection is a network for family caregivers that provides care for child(ren) or elderly and Roz Jones has been invited to speak on August 3rd! We are honored to share the same space!

Enjoy Family Fun for Free with a Summer Staycation

By Roz Jones

The annual summer vacation is a treasured family tradition that ensures family fun and relaxation. These days, the cost of a family get-away can seem astronomical due to the expense of vacation, entertainment and accommodations. Also some Caregivers may not be able to leave the home for vacation due to their loved ones diagnosis.

However, you can avoid the cost and fuss of travel and lodging by making the most of your home. By prepping your home, you can create a fun, vacation-like atmosphere that’s relaxing for you and your client or loved one.

Staycations also allow you to vacation with your pets and other family members in a place that’s familiar and comforting for them, reducing stress on your furry friends and the entire family.

Try these steps when planning for your next staycation:

Clean and organize your living space. A great deal of the enjoyment from staying in a hotel or resort is the clean, comfortable atmosphere surrounding you.

Clean the house for tidiness and sanitation. Knowing you’re in an extremely clean environment will free your mind of worries that plague you during normal days at home.

Completely catch up on laundry. After all, even on a vacation outside of the home you would need clean laundry for the week. The goal of having clean laundry is to match the atmosphere and comfort level that you and your client or loved one would experience at a place away from home.

If you would prefer not cleaning the home yourself, search the numerous websites that give the customer coupons or discounts on cleaning services. Websites such as Groupon and LivingSocial offer such coupons for most cities in the United States.

Plan activities to do in the home or surrounding area. A staycation should still be active. Staying at home the entire week of vacation is impractical and can cause friction after a few days. Survey and utilize your surroundings to plan fun activities for your clients or loved ones and the rest of the family.

Do some research in the weeks beforehand and have a game plan in place.

Look into low-cost or free local attractions to visit during the day. Depending on the interests of your family, these may include a museum, butterfly garden, aquarium, or a picnic at the local park. Many local education-related venues allow kids in for free.

Not every activity has to be outside of the home. Plan activities that your client or loved oned, and children would enjoy doing, such as arts and crafts. If your children are older, play sports or set up a slip and slide in the backyard.

Turn off the electronics. In order to create a relaxing atmosphere it’s important to disconnect from everyday life.

Turn off your cell phone and shut down your computer. Make arrangements with work beforehand and communicate that you’ll be out of touch for the entire duration of your vacation.

On your work email account, you can set an automatic response that will reply to senders to let them know that you’re out of the office. This way, you’ll have peace of mind in knowing that your responsibilities at work will be handled.

Having a staycation is a positive, cost-effective way to take a break from your everyday life. Taking a short break from life’s responsibilities will allow you to become inspired to do better in other aspects of your everyday life.

Your mind, body, and soul deserve a break, even if an extravagant vacation is not financially viable at the moment. With a little creativity and some extra effort in planning, you, your clients or loved ones, and the rest of your family can experience a relaxing and rejuvenating vacation – right in your own home.

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Are you a Caregiver taking care of two loved ones? Did you check out Part 1? Check out Part 2 to hear more from Caregiver, Christine Psalms and how she takes care of both of her parents!

Christine Psalms continues her story with us in this episode.

As a caregiver for both her parents, Christine shares:

1. How she worked on herself to prepare to be her father’s caregiver
2. How therapy, counseling, and journaling changed her life as a caregiver
3. Navigating relationships with loved ones without resentment.

Listen Now!

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ATTENTION: INSTAGRAM UPDATE!!!

Thank you for your patience with me as I attempted to gain access to my Instagram account @rozjonesenterprises! Unfortunately, I have been prompted to create a NEW Instagram account.

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Meditating Throughout the Summer

By Roz Jones

When Caregivers meditate, you can use your surroundings to help you. Many people try to block out the world and simply look within themselves when they meditate. This can be very useful, but there are also other ways in which you can practice meditation. While you may want to avoid noisy rooms and other distractions, Caregivers can certainly use warmth and nature to your benefit.

Meditating in a summer environment can help you focus on the continuation of life. There is great beauty to be found in existence, and there is a season for everything. As you work to internalize an innate understanding of nature, you’ll be more likely to feel peaceful, complete, and where you should be in your life.

Warmth and Meditation

In order to meditate more easily and focus on what matters most, you should be comfortable. That means sitting or lying somewhere that makes you happy and peaceful, but it also means enjoying the right temperature. If you’re too distracted by the fact that you’re too chilly, meditation will be more difficult for you. You can escape that challenge by staying warm and cozy during meditation.

The summer is ideal for meditating because the days are longer and the nights are warm. The soft noises of crickets and other small creatures can bring you peace and make you feel more connected with the world around you. As you start to relax and feel more comfortable, the warmth will help you focus on harmony and joy.

Avoid meditating in the extreme heat, as this can make you feel worse and can result in a heat stroke. Instead, find a place where it’s simply warm and comforting.

Evenings in the summertime are often good for meditation, and the pitter-patter of rain can be peaceful as well. If you live in a desert environment, rain can bring about relief, great joy, and a deep appreciation for nature that you can use to help focus your meditation.

Grow and Develop Throughout the Summer Months

The object of meditation is growth, and the summer months provide several factors that you can use to speed that growth along, such as:

Warmth
Longer days
Quiet, restful, peaceful nights
Occasional rainstorms to renew and refresh you
A break in between caregiving tasks
A stronger bond with nature and existence

There are many ways you can benefit from the warmth of summer when you want to meditate. The longer days are often helpful, and perhaps you’ll take that vacation you need, so you may have lower stress levels than you otherwise would. Even if you’re not able to take a break from Caregiving, you can still use meditation to help you feel better, calmer, and more relaxed.

Focus your mind on the beauty that summer has to offer. Blooming plants, quiet nights, small creatures and insects, rain, and the joy of being part of the cycle of life and existence can all be wonderful triggers for meditation and help bring peace and happiness.
Use what works for you. Everyone is different, and meditation is a very personal experience. The way one person uses the summer might not be the same way someone else uses it. Your meditation time is your own special getaway. Take the warmth, peace, and beauty of summer and use it in the way that feels most comfortable to you.

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What Activities Can an Elderly Parent Participate In?

By Roz Jones

Whether you’re living with your parents to provide care or dropping in to provide them with care, you may find that their wellbeing is always at the forefront of your mind. We note, however, that a rise in age comes with the decline of certain aspects of a person’s life. These include a person’s health and their ability to engage in physical and social activities.

Engaging in a variety of activities stimulates your client or loved one’s brain and encourages a healthy lifestyle, which leads to a better quality of life.

Our aging parents, unfortunately, may be hard-pressed to engage in the activities younger people actively enjoy. Still, there are several appropriate activities you can help your parents and loved ones enjoy. Let’s walk through some of these activities.

Activities elderly parents can engage in:

Outdoor walks. Walking is one of the healthiest activities for humans. It requires little effort or equipment, but it still has long-term health advantages.

Our elderly parents, who have a harder time moving, should go for a stroll at least once every two days. It doesn’t have to take long, and it doesn’t have to be far.

Set a date with your parents, take a walk through a park and enjoy the scenery together. This would certainly be an activity your parents would enjoy.

Playing board games. Enjoy classic games of old or learn new ones together.

Board games and card games are not only entertaining, but they can also assist your parents to keep their minds sharp.
Like board games, puzzles of all kinds can work too!

Reading. For parents who may find it difficult to take part in activities that involve higher physical energy, reading is a fun pastime you can do with them.

Reading might help you relax and boost your memory, as well as your parents. Consider going to a park or beach to read together.

You could also try forming a book club for your parents with a few of their acquaintances. This is a good way to keep your parents engaged in vibrant discussions while also socializing as they get older.

Gardening. Gardening is a relaxing and enjoyable activity your older parents might enjoy. It’s simple to enjoy in the sun or shade from the comfort of your parents’ house. You can still plant or re-pot flowers with your elderly parents even if they just have a small balcony or a windowsill.

Gardening is also an activity that may be enjoyed by multiple generations. You, your parents, and any children you have can all take part in planting bulbs or seeds and watching them grow into flowers or food that you can all eat together.

Family bonding. Family activities that allow your elderly parents to interact with their children and grandchildren would surely appeal to them. Spend time with them while preparing meals for the family. Plan family cookouts or picnics.

Take them on vacations with the family. Spending quality time with loved ones is an activity that the elderly, who are more likely to be lonely, would enjoy.

Today’s culture, with its technological advancements, has led to a transfer of most people’s activities and attention to virtual spaces, and it’s easy for our aging parents to feel left out as they can’t keep up.

We can reassure our elderly parents that they are cherished and can still find delight in their later years by participating in these activities.

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Are you a Caregiver taking care of two loved ones? Did you check out Part 1 of last week’s episode? Check out Part 2 to hear more from Caregiver, Christine Psalms and how she takes care of both of her parents!

Listen Now!

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ATTENTION: INSTAGRAM UPDATE!!!

Thank you for your patience with me as I attempted to gain access to my Instagram account @rozjonesenterprises! Unfortunately, I have been prompted to create a NEW Instagram account.

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Stay Fit, Trim, and Healthy with Safe Exercises for Seniors

By Roz Jones

Seniors have a lot to gain through regular exercise. Staying active can improve your client or loved one’s physical and mental health and extend their ability to live independently. Below are some tips for developing a beneficial exercise program for your client or loved one and sticking to it.

Designing a Safe and Balanced Exercise Program

Increase endurance. Aerobic exercise like walking or biking is great for your client or loved one’s heart and circulation. Swimming is especially good for seniors because they get a total body workout with low impact and little risk of injuries. Aim for about 30 minutes of moderate activity daily for your client or loved one.
Build strength. Muscle mass declines with age, but resistance training two to three times weekly can help offset that loss. To be safe, start off with easy exercises and progress by increasing weights and repetitions gradually. You may want to take your client or loved one to visit a local gym or take a class at a senior center.

If your client or loved one prefers working out at home, you can buy weights or use household items like bags of rice.

Stay flexible. Stretching will keep your client or loved one limber and help protect them from injury. Have them do it as often as possible – daily is great! Warm-up with some light aerobics and then ease into a stretch gently. Have your client or loved one hold the stretch for about 30 seconds. Repeat each movement a few times, gradually extending your client or loved one’s range.

It’s good to feel some slight tension, but if your client or loved one experiences any pain, stop and have them withdraw back to a more comfortable position.

Improve balance. Protect your client or loved one from falls and broken bones by working on their balance. Tai Chi is another low-impact activity ideal for seniors. It promotes balance and strength. Even just having your client or loved one practice standing on one foot can enhance their stability.

Sticking to the Exercise Program

Set realistic goals. A regular workout routine is safer and more beneficial than scattered efforts. Keep your client or loved one motivated by establishing realistic goals. Find activities that they can easily incorporate into their daily schedule such as cutting back on TV viewing to going for a daily swim. When their favorite program is on, they can even exercise during commercials.
Have fun. Think about the pastimes your client or loved one loves and expand upon them. When children visit, go for a long walk through the park. If your client or loved one gets tired of using the treadmill alone every day, sign up for a yoga class with a buddy whose company you enjoy.
Make contingency plans. Life events will sometimes interrupt your client or loved one’s normal schedule. While traveling, look for hotels with fitness centers. If it’s too cold to ride bikes outdoors, browse the public library for exercise videos for seniors.

Other Safety Tips

Talk with their doctor. If your client or loved one has been sedentary for a while, their doctor can advise them on how to get moving safely. No matter what health issues they may experience, there is usually some form of exercise that they can engage in even if there’s a need to modify the standard positions.
Learn to breathe. Proper breathing will help your client or loved one maintain good form. Generally, you exhale when you exert effort and inhale when you relax. So have your client or loved one breathe out when they lift something and breathe in when they lower it.
Drink plenty of water. The body needs water regardless of whether you’re sweating. By the time you’re thirsty, you’ve gone too long without drinking.
Wear the right shoes. Your client or loved one can exercise without spending a fortune on expensive equipment, but good shoes are worth the cost. Get protective footwear that’s designed for their chosen sport, whether it’s golf or tennis. If tying laces is a struggle, Velcro closures will give your client or loved one a secure fit.

Exercise is a great way for older adults to stay healthy and fit. Follow simple safety precautions so your clients or loved ones can remain active and enjoy the pastimes they love.

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ATTENTION: INSTAGRAM UPDATE!!!

Thank you for your patience with me as I attempted to gain access to my Instagram account @rozjonesenterprises! Unfortunately, I have been prompted to create a NEW Instagram account.

Be sure to follow my new Instagram page @rozcaregiverconsulting and check out my latest post on the top business mistakes I’ve made as a Business Owner!

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