As Aging Life Care Managers we have the opportunity, privilege, and responsibility to keep our client’s mental and physical well-being at the forefront of our service. We focus on our client’s health and overall well-being as our mandate and our commitment, particularly in this uncertain and challenging time of the ongoing pandemic we face. As such, our job broadens as we aim to support our clients physically and emotionally. We are charged with getting even more creative in mitigating the effects of isolation for those clients living at home or in residential care settings. We are more determined than ever to bring to our clients the medical resources they need to remain healthy. We are grateful to be given this opportunity and we find ourselves often practicing gratitude and counting our blessing. It is particularly important this time of year to practice gratitude both professionally and personally.
Gratitude is a human element and at times (trying times such as this pandemic we face) may take mindful effort and energy to embrace. Giving thanks is one of the oldest concepts in society, with this practice at the core of most traditions and religions. Thanksgiving is shortly upon us and this American secular holiday is centered on gratitude. While we can impact others by expressing gratitude directly, we can enhance our own well-being by articulating gratitude in written or spoken form, to ourselves and to those around us. Research shows gratitude strengthens relationships, improves health- both mentally and physically, affords better sleep, gives one greater resiliency, lowers fatigue, and encourages the development of patience, humility, and wisdom. How can one argue with gratitude when these are the benefits one gains?
This season, Elder Care Management is encouraging everyone to embrace the gratitude around them- we feel we are afforded this opportunity daily as we support our clients day in and day out with our services. We remind everyone to focus on the positives that exist and encourage you to share with those near and far who impact your lives. While there is no immediate panacea for these current ills we face, regularly practicing gratitude can help ease the uncertainty. Notice the goodness in our lives, not the things that are missing, and share that feeling with others. Let us all practice gratitude allowing us to generate a climate of positivity that both reaches inward and extends outward.
How ECM Can Help…
Oftentimes when we are facing crisis situations and feeling overwhelmed it is near impossible to highlight the positive in our lives. Elder Care Management can provide essential advocacy, guidance, and support for those facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Having a clear path for moving forward can alleviate worry and stress and offer an opportunity for families to regain perspective and highlight the blessings they have been given. Whether families need a care plan or ongoing Care Management, the Care Managers of Elder Care Management are here to assist. We are grateful for the opportunity to support those you care for.
In this article by Positive.News, “Why gratitude is good for us- and five ways to practise it this winter,” we learn more about the diverse benefits of gratitude. Practicing gratitude has been found to have profound impacts on physical, psychological, and social well-being. If you want to experience more joy, sleep better, connect more fully with your loved ones, and overall have a better outlook on life, you should start your daily gratitude practice today.
The question, “Are Empathy and Gratitude Linked to Each Other?“, is addressed in this Psychology Today article. The findings presented from recent studies suggest a clear overlap of the role of the medial prefrontal cortex(MPFC) activation in both gratitude and empathy. Also, the more empathetic a person is as they age the less likely they are to experience feelings of loneliness. The gratitude mindset has long-standing benefits, including helping us be more compassionate towards others.
