"What happened to us?" 40 years ago I did not see this level of burnout happening, except in ghettos. What happened? Many things. Among them, is that we built up infrastructure for corporations, while dismantling infrastructure for people and social services. We shot ourselves in the foot, and it took a generation or two, but we are now seeing the systemic consequences. Corporations have burned-out workers, and families have overburdened caregivers. We had some bright spots along the way, like FMLA, but overall we are a poorer people care-wise and a richer people billionaire-CEO-wise. Do we still value people and caregiving? Well, of course we do. Are we putting our money where our mouths are...No, not yet. When I see one burned-out nurse, I think someone had a bum wrap in life. When I see a host of burned-out nurses, I think society isn't doing right by its people, and is misdirecting its energies elsewhere. Economic inequality makes for care inequality. Read "The Myth that Made Us".
Thank you for sharing this painful reflection, Denise. And what an insightful conversation here. I think about your concept of basic needs not being met. I wonder what kind of basic needs are not being met in the lives of health care workers and family members who are burnt out? I suspect they are mostly spiritual needs, constituting a balance of rest, the exchange of love and care and a sense of abundance of those things. The Asset Based Community Development Movement (ABCD) is trying to rekindle those values neighborhood by neighborhood. Like in Call the Midwife if you've ever seen that show on TV. Maybe if we had a little of that, we would learn to trust the care in each other again.
"What happened to us?" 40 years ago I did not see this level of burnout happening, except in ghettos. What happened? Many things. Among them, is that we built up infrastructure for corporations, while dismantling infrastructure for people and social services. We shot ourselves in the foot, and it took a generation or two, but we are now seeing the systemic consequences. Corporations have burned-out workers, and families have overburdened caregivers. We had some bright spots along the way, like FMLA, but overall we are a poorer people care-wise and a richer people billionaire-CEO-wise. Do we still value people and caregiving? Well, of course we do. Are we putting our money where our mouths are...No, not yet. When I see one burned-out nurse, I think someone had a bum wrap in life. When I see a host of burned-out nurses, I think society isn't doing right by its people, and is misdirecting its energies elsewhere. Economic inequality makes for care inequality. Read "The Myth that Made Us".
Thank you for sharing this painful reflection, Denise. And what an insightful conversation here. I think about your concept of basic needs not being met. I wonder what kind of basic needs are not being met in the lives of health care workers and family members who are burnt out? I suspect they are mostly spiritual needs, constituting a balance of rest, the exchange of love and care and a sense of abundance of those things. The Asset Based Community Development Movement (ABCD) is trying to rekindle those values neighborhood by neighborhood. Like in Call the Midwife if you've ever seen that show on TV. Maybe if we had a little of that, we would learn to trust the care in each other again.