Sunday, April 24, 2011

Did you know the colour you wear influences the impact you have on others?

Yes this is for real. I know that the colours I wear reflect how I'm feeling. I first became aware of this when my marriage broke up. I would not see or visualise myself in anything but black, white or grey. Every other colour, I thought, looked terrible on me.

I also know that the more colourful my clothes are the more joyful I am and my personality and behaviour reflects this.

Well apparently this is true. You can see more on this website http://www.colourcomfort.com/

Here are some examples of colour and impact.
If you want show determination, activity and motivation then wear red.
If you want to show authority, wisdom or intelligence, then wear navy blue
If you want to show calmness, inspriation or fantasising, then wear purple
If you are an innovative thinker, ready for change then magenta or fuschsia is your colout. (this is a colour I wear a lot and feel really good wearing)
Now if you want create harmony, decision making and team work then wear green. Give it a try at a staff meeting and see the results.
Interesting if you are reserved, mysterious or want to blend in, wear black. How many people wear black!!! Lighten it up with a colour and see the results.

Now you don't have to be decked out totally in the colour to create impact. It can be as simple as an accessory like a cardigan, tie or scarf.

There are many more colours that influence people so go and have a look at the website and see what you come up with and use colour to your advantage.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

More people paying for private home care

We are more and more becoming a user pay society.

While I am not altogether against this as I think people have more control over who they employ. If they are not happy with the care or service, they can terminate the contract and shop around for someone more suitable. It is not as easy if you have been referred to a service provider.

What my concern is the level of training the caregivers receive and the supervision. There is no one checking on the care being given on a day to day basis and is right for the person. Nor do we have a "watch dog" to see if the person is being treated fairly and respectfully.

Vulnerable people, whether they are elderly or not, are not known to speak out if they are receiving respectful or indeed the correct care. They take what is being dished out to them by the caregiver and don't want to risk being victimised or being left to fend for themselves if they do speak out.

So how do you address these issues? It is a difficult one but training is one way. It is not a panacea to fix all but it does deliver some understanding for those who are willing to learn. It does work for those who generally care and want to deliver what is right for the person or what the person wants.

What does need to happen is the caregiver has to understand they are employed by the person they are delivering care to regardless to who is paying the account. When this happens there should be a change in attitude towards their work and the important job they do. Training is part of this process.