"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".
I'm so glad you added your insights, Susan. I had such a completely different experience with the hospice nurse versus the home health aide. We hired the HHA through a home care agency contracted by my dad's retirement community to check in on my dad three times at night (10 p.m., 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.). The HHA with me during my dad's last two nights worked weekend over-night shifts. Was this her second or third job? (I wish I had thought to ask.) She arrived as the clock struck 10, 2 and 5 each of those last two nights. She brought me supplies hospice should have provided but never did. The last night she checked in more on me than my dad. She was kind and compassionate. She's a Nigerian immigrant. I often wondered what the HHA had that allowed her to be so kind, no matter how long her day and night, that the hospice nurse didn't? I also have to note the age difference -- the HHA was probably 25 years older than the hospice nurse. The economic inequity between the two was evident. The one who seemed to have more (the nurse) had much less to give. I think about this regularly.
We as a country have more now than we did 40 years ago, yet we seem less willing to give to our common humanity now than we did then. Yes, there was an economic inequity between the two helpers. I suspect there was also a social inequity: the hospice nurse had social license to be cranky and still keep her job, the HHA was in a more vulnerable position and had to honor the values of the retirement community to keep her job. Of course, it depended on the individuals, how much love they had in their hearts to give...some people are just better at compassion than others. I'm glad the HHA was there for you in your hour(s) of need. She was an immigrant, maybe she knew what it was to lose something or someone she loved, better than the hospice nurse did.
Such an interesting insight about social inequity. The HHA shared her experience losing her father with me which may mean exactly your point -- she got it. Perhaps the hospice nurse was just too young to get it because she hadn't experienced it yet. I still think of sitting on the couch, watching the hospice nurse enter the apartment, stand a few feet from my father's body and have absolutely no emotional response except to complain about the weather.
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.
We definitely need a Call the Midwife Model. I also wish hospice would create a protocol for their visits. They are so compliant focused that they completely lose focus on the family caregiver and caree. I wish they revised the protocol so every interaction with a family caregiver and caree includes a moment of kindness and compassion. That's all that really matters.
YES!!! The University of Alberta has created a set of free online caregiver care education tools for clinicians - Hospice could use these, they're great! https://www.caregivercare.ca/
"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".
I'm so glad you added your insights, Susan. I had such a completely different experience with the hospice nurse versus the home health aide. We hired the HHA through a home care agency contracted by my dad's retirement community to check in on my dad three times at night (10 p.m., 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.). The HHA with me during my dad's last two nights worked weekend over-night shifts. Was this her second or third job? (I wish I had thought to ask.) She arrived as the clock struck 10, 2 and 5 each of those last two nights. She brought me supplies hospice should have provided but never did. The last night she checked in more on me than my dad. She was kind and compassionate. She's a Nigerian immigrant. I often wondered what the HHA had that allowed her to be so kind, no matter how long her day and night, that the hospice nurse didn't? I also have to note the age difference -- the HHA was probably 25 years older than the hospice nurse. The economic inequity between the two was evident. The one who seemed to have more (the nurse) had much less to give. I think about this regularly.
We as a country have more now than we did 40 years ago, yet we seem less willing to give to our common humanity now than we did then. Yes, there was an economic inequity between the two helpers. I suspect there was also a social inequity: the hospice nurse had social license to be cranky and still keep her job, the HHA was in a more vulnerable position and had to honor the values of the retirement community to keep her job. Of course, it depended on the individuals, how much love they had in their hearts to give...some people are just better at compassion than others. I'm glad the HHA was there for you in your hour(s) of need. She was an immigrant, maybe she knew what it was to lose something or someone she loved, better than the hospice nurse did.
Such an interesting insight about social inequity. The HHA shared her experience losing her father with me which may mean exactly your point -- she got it. Perhaps the hospice nurse was just too young to get it because she hadn't experienced it yet. I still think of sitting on the couch, watching the hospice nurse enter the apartment, stand a few feet from my father's body and have absolutely no emotional response except to complain about the weather.
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.
We definitely need a Call the Midwife Model. I also wish hospice would create a protocol for their visits. They are so compliant focused that they completely lose focus on the family caregiver and caree. I wish they revised the protocol so every interaction with a family caregiver and caree includes a moment of kindness and compassion. That's all that really matters.
YES!!! The University of Alberta has created a set of free online caregiver care education tools for clinicians - Hospice could use these, they're great! https://www.caregivercare.ca/