I credit this Scripture quote from the New Testament for carrying and encouraging me most of my life. I know firsthand how difficult caretaking can be. I was a young mother of two children, when my mother was hit by a car, six weeks after having surgery to remove her gallbladder. This pivotal moment, changed all of our lives.
As time went by, with increasing pain, my mother became angry, resentful and mean. Eventually, her overdependence on prescription pain medications, caused her to need constant care and supervision. With two children to care for and my husband’s job requiring much travel, plus my mother’s situation, God’s grace and Scripture, helped me survive and ultimately thrive, reminding me to ‘rejoice in hope.’
Faith, prayer and a lot of hard work enabled me to obtain my college degree and a Master’s in Theology. I worked in various jobs, including four years at the Rockville Centre Diocese as Coordinator of Collaborative Formation for the Office of Laity and Family and for the past nine years at Catholic Health Services of Long Island as Coordinator of Spiritual Care Companions. We trained hundreds of volunteer men and women, of all faiths, with basic pastoral care skills, preparing them to help others, as they visited in hospitals, nursing home and with the homebound. The last two years, our office provided a Training Manual, written and compiled by me, which is used in various health systems throughout the United States.
Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, with the feedback I have received from volunteers and the knowledge that we all need help, EMBRACE CARETAKING, is born. I believe this blog and forum will be an avenue to help people going through their own caretaking situations, be given an opportunity to talk with others in similar circumstances, providing encouragement and inspiration for one another.
Can you identify with anything I have written? Please feel free to comment through the Forum.