POST CAREGIVER CAREER
Posted on 09. Feb, 2010 by T.S. Linden in Boomer Views, Find Caregiver Wisdom
NOW WHAT?
You wake up today, you are no longer in the role of an active full time caregiver. Your loved one either recovered or passed on to the next world. And this leaves your world with a massive question mark. Now what?
REST, REVIEW + RENEW
The first thing we say is take a mini vacation. Even if the budget is tight from all the caregiving commitments, then at least unplug from the world for a short spell. Use this time to rest and recover.
The next step is to reflect and review. It is essential that you understand that the caregiving role impacted your life in terms of health, finances and energy. For many caregivers, it dramatically drained time at the office due to the need to be present for your care receiver. Now you need to unknot the tangle and commence a fresh path.
Reflect on your passions, hopes, skills and potential. Then review the options or possible pathways you wish to explore.
COACHING, COLLABORATING + COMMUNITY
Caregiving duties often isolate people. Confidence levels can drop, people call into question how the market place will react to their return to the workforce and changes in the economic climate can mean that your prior skills need to be updated or a new opportunity explored.
We recommend you build your network of know-how.
Coaching can provide the means to think through the options, put a plan together for pursuing a post caregiver career and serve as a contact point for meeting other caregivers who have returned to the workforce and understand what you are facing and experiencing as you explore life after caregiving.
Collaboration is essential to finding your footing. It is a mindset which needs to be kindled after caregiving, which is often a lonely duty. It is important to understand the power of collaboration and to reintegrate it at the core of your mindset.
Community is the most important. Caregivers get cut off from the world in far too many cases. It is time to reach out, nurture old and new friendships and develop your social network. Community is the main source of emotional support and is key to finding new possibilities or building a team around a new venture you may pursue in your post caregiver career.
Reach Out.
Wisdom Flame is here to help you think through post caregiver life. Touch base with us. We are happy to open up a dialogue with you and are excited for the possibilities you have in this all to often disorienting post-caregiver life.