Helping Relationships and Self-Care cerah.lakeheadu.ca Palliative Care Education for Front-Line Workers in First Nations Communities

The palliative care promise The individual who is passing and their family will be cared for:  spiritually  emotionally  mentally  physically

The job of one individual? Absolutely NOT!! The use of the team The use of outside resources The recognition of individual, family, and community strengths

How can we help? By caring By being there By being who you are

Empathy  The power of entering into the experience of, or understanding emotion outside ourselves  The ability to identify with a person and thereby understand his/her feelings  The ability to communicate this understanding

A caregiver’s prayer May I offer my presence and care unconditionally, knowing that I may meet in gratitude, indifference, anger, and anguish. May I find the inner resources to truly be able to give. May I offer love, knowing that I cannot control the course of life, suffering, or death. May I view my own limits with compassion, just as I see the suffering of others.

Stressors working in palliative care Emotional concern for patients and their families Management of the disease process Staff support issues

Dealing with loss To cry or not to cry

Common signs and symptoms of stress (1 of 2) Feeling physically “run down” Exhaustion Muscle tension, headaches, gastrointestinal distress and other somatic symptoms Loss of libido (sex drive) Flatness of mood Anger, emotional outbursts

Common signs and symptoms of stress (2 of 2) Inability to communicate with co-workers, patients, and family members Diminished coping abilities Cynicism, critical attitudes towards co-workers, suspiciousness Lack of initiative, lower productivity Distancing oneself from relationships

Burnout What does this mean to you? How do you know when this happens? What makes people burnout?

Not ALL job stress is negative Stress can: motivate prevent boredom facilitate employee turnover motivate individual growth and change

Most people consider their work in palliative care to be: Meaningful And Rewarding

Characteristics associated with job satisfaction Having a sense of mastery and control Developing relationships with the individual who is passing and their family Learning to detach from suffering Enjoying a strong self-esteem Having adequate resources Experience intellectual stimulation Learning new skills Adapting to the work environment

Remember: It’s extremely difficult to care for others when you haven’t taken care of yourself first

Wellness and Self-care Begin with the recognition of self-worth Minimize daily stress Learn to understand and identify common stressors