Almost 30 years ago, my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. One of the heartbreaking aspects was that she couldn't do all the things she loved - cooking, gardening, arranging flowers - but when she began attending Life Enrichment Center Adult Day Care, she cooked every day at the center and hoed, planted and harvested in their garden. She found joy and fulfillment. It is in her memory that I have created this blog for Life Enrichment.
"Learn to Bloom" was created to encourage caregivers of adults.
About 13 years ago, I started volunteering at Life Enrichment because of the philosophy of "behavior acceptance" I had seen and appreciated many years before. Soon, I was working there.
We at Life Enrichment Center Adult Day Care and Health Service believe that everyone deserves the chance to bloom despite difficult circumstances and the season of life we're experiencing - whether that person has been diagnosed with an illness or is the one providing the care.
"Learn to Bloom" means two things for caregivers - 1)sometimes we can't change the hand we've been dealt but we can learn to play that hand to find joy in everyday life 2)the best medicine for a person with an illness is an understanding family; understanding comes from learning about the illness and learning coping techniques. As philosopher Thich Nhat Hanh has said, "With understanding, those we love will certainly flower."
I am inviting all of Life Enrichment's staff and volunteers to join me as we share the joy of seeing lives bloom. - Linda
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
