International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.
International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.
By: Chloe J. Smith ICISF Member
Being a participant and exhibitor at ICISF’s 15th World Congress was more than networking opportunity. This was an opportunity for product sharing as an exhibitor, listening to dynamic speakers and meeting new friends. During my reflection of investment, preparation and time of attending this powerful conference was the best choice and decision making in my entire career. Here is the reason why World Congress is powerful in every fashion: your sensory system is caught up in the atmosphere of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch which is truly the backbone of my company vision and belief system to addressing psychological triage. The opening ceremony featuring local Pipes, Drums and Honor Guards truly set the train in motion as you mentally prepare yourself to hustle between general sessions, workshops, purchasing books, lunch and snacks. Upon your decision making to attend ICISF’s World Congress you may walk away with strategies that will change your lifestyle, workplace, businesses and how to be a solution to crisis intervention and disaster behavioral methods. Come with anticipation, comfortable footwear, take notes and write down any questions. Our company tools and strategies for psychological triage is wrapped around sensory systems in our article “Finding the Brighter Side of Caregiving” small portion given below just to walk you into strategies to avoid caregiver burnout and more. The greatest opportunity of asking two critical questions was during a break and returning to my company exhibitor table was meeting Dr. George Everly, PhD, CCISM. My direct questions were short about being a solution to problems.
I am on the right track of using our tools and strategies with our company products and services that’s mentioned inside several news articles at local city gatherings, informational sessions and dementia friendly communities.
Finding the Brighter Side of Caregiving
Before 2001 nobody was understanding my concerns of taking care of family loved ones with health issues. Nobody in my family circle was caring enough to find solutions to helping family members who might have dementia or Alzheimer. These health issues might have been shared with neighborhood friends and workplace supervisors. Unfortunately, sharing personal information might have been therapeutic at that time but now your mind is playing tricks against you for trusting people with your family secrets.
As we age, we may notice some forgetfulness. Our brain ages just like the rest of our body. It may take more time to learn new things, it can be challenging to remember information or lose things such as eye glasses and house keys.
It’s not always serious, but if you are concerned about yourself or a loved one, consult your doctor. They can help determine whether it is simply age-related, forgetfulness or something more serious.
Sometimes it’s not easy asking for help, mainly those individuals who live alone. It’s also those individuals who are part of the health care system, front line workers, law officers, communities of faith and the list continues to grow for individuals who find it difficult to ask for help. These individuals are my heroes along with local community members and volunteers working behind the scene.
Every part of the community has a unique role in meaningfully supporting people with cognitive issues; they maybe your family, friends, care partners or even strangers. Always be ready to help or support people, offer kindness and become more compassionate. More than ever with these uncertain times you might be the first person on the scene before help arrives if someone becomes disoriented. Another concern is safety, health and wellness topics should be a priority of taking care of yourself by focusing on your own sensory system. I’ve found the brighter side of caregiving when I learned how to communicate with my mother through engaging all five senses of sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. My mother was a church musician she loved music and playing the piano. So, what if she misses a few notes, there were times when a recognizable tune would come through and we would smile. She also was amused by the touch, taste, and smell of various foods. We made a game out of it and I would show her something pretty, colorful and pleasant to the eyes and she would smile. In times like this, I can see that we have connected in that brighter side of caregiving by the look on her face and that heartwarming grin.
There were also times when I looked into her eyes and she was lost for words. Yet, even at times like this, I was able to read her thoughts because I knew my mother and words aren’t always needed to convey our inner most feelings. Sometimes we would laugh, and other times we cried as our feelings convey unspoken thoughts of scattered memories. As of today, I realize part of my mission in life is centered on staying connected on the brighter side of caregiving. Documentation is a critical process for surviving uncertainties that may avoid risky emotional behavior.
Important Notice: MLR Designs, LLC does not provide medical advice. The contents herein are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. MLR Designs, LLC does not endorse any resources listed herein or within separate future sites.
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