Christmas is upon us

I don't know about you but the years just seem to be getting shorter and shorter.

Now I know that is not true for some people. It is only those who are very busy that have this problem.

I am not complaining about having this problem. It is far better than being bored.

However being busy does have it's down falls. So to overcome this, I have joined a gym. Yes this time I have CHOSEN to join a gym.

So what has this done for me?

It has relieved my back pain, helped me sleep better at night, increased my energy and overall wellbeing and encouraged me to eat less and better.

My diet is usually pretty good but what I have found is I dont have the desire to eat sweet things to the same extent. There is also and added bonus. In the first 6 weeks I have shed 2" off my hips, 1" off my waist and 1/2" off my thighs.

My weight has not been an issue for me. I have been stable for years and for me it is a healthy weight but my energy levels have increased and that is important to me.

With my overall wellbeing improved I have the energy to enjoy another new grand-daughter due next week. I already have one 3 year old grand-daughter who keeps me busy so with 2 I am going to need all the energy I can muster.

So if you too have been considering joining a gym I would recommend it. I have set my target at 3 days a week. So my recommendation is you set the number of times you want to go and get into a routine. It is then just like going to work each day - part of the day.

Attachment theory

I received a new magazine in my letter box yesterday - a free one. It is called Natural Parenting. One of the articles has caught my eye and it is on "Attachment Parenting".

Over the years there has been all sorts of theories on what you should or shouldn't do with babies and bringing up children. This one makes incredible sense to me and I am wondering how this applies to the elderly in our care and the diseases that inhabit their body's.

Reaseach states that children who are emotionally secure are "more enthusiastic, persistent and cooperative and tend to be less fearful, oppositional, angry and are more joyous" They are also more likely to be "more popular with peers, more soically competent and more capable of empathy" and "they are less likely to be targetted by bullies".

On the other hand insecure children "seek attention in oblique or irritating ways and are more likely to grow up clingy and hypersensitive or aggressive and disruptive"

Now the article has a lot more in this of course but I have long believed that what happens to us in our childhood and how we learnt to react or respond to these issues has a major impact on who were are as adults in health and wellness.

My question has been, what actually makes us sick? Why is that some people fly through life with little or no illness and others are continually unwell? Why is it that some people are more resilient than others? Why is it that some people get dementia in a family and others don't?"

Because I am unable to answer these questions, I have listened to people's stories - their life story. This is where the clues lie. This is the clue to their behaviour.

In my first book I talked more about this but essentially it is not what happens to us that causes disease, it is the way we react and respond the the things that happen to us. If a person does not have the skills, confidence or tools to cope, manage or rise above each challenge that is set them they will become sick - either mentally or physically.

Now I know it is a lot more complex than that but I worry for all these young children who are put into day care at such a young age. Are we indeed setting them up to emotionally and physically unwell adults? Food for thought dont you think.

Compassion Fatigue in Nursing

I have come across this article on Medscape Nurses Viewpoint. It is really worth a read and can be found at.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/732211?src=mp&spon=24&uac=130724MJ

Some interesting facts have come out of the survey carried out by Marily W Edmunds.

Nurses working 8 hour shifts are more likely to suffer compassion fatigue than those who work 12 hours shifts.

Intensive care nurses had higher satisfaction than emergency nurses

Nurses with the least experience reported higher rates of compassion satisfaction than more experienced nurses.

Nurses who had higher compassion satisfaction scores were more interpersonally "fullfilled" which is defined as being happy, being me, being connected to to others. They were happy in what they were doing, didnt feel trapped, were less likely to be bogged down or feel exhausted.

So what is the message here?

Nurses can suffer compassion fatigue which affects their coping mechanisms. They are the people who are more likely to ignor bells ringing, take days off sick, leave the organisation, reduce shifts etc.

So what is the message here?

Working as a nurse can desensitise some people. Nurses don't appear to be good at looking after themselves or their co-workers. Compassion fatigue is closely related to burn out. Compassionate nurses are a dwindling resource.

However I guess there is once bright star on the horizon. Psychiatrists have higher rates of suicide, sever depression and general compassion fatigue.

If we don't take care of ourselves how can we take care of others? This is what is lacking and why it is so important to bring the care back into caregiving.

Excitement ahead for 2011

It is coming to the end of the year. I am feeling tired. Are you feeling the same?

But I am inspired for 2011. About this time of the year I am really looking foward to the next year. New growth, new development, new exciting things happening - but this time it is different.

2011 means business expansion but not so much in financial, although that no doubt will be a spin off, but expansion and the realisation of my mission to bring the care back into caregiving through training.

I have been working towards this for a long time. How to do it has now become a reality. How can I make training instantly applicable to more people. How can I make training easily accessible and affordable that reduce obstacles to learning?

Well I have found it. My goal to provide mini classrooms for training is being realised at this very minute.

You see there is only me. I am it in my business. If Ii want to get my message accross, how can I get training out to more people and not burn myself out.

So for now, watch this space. I am excited and inspired. Now I can get this information out to one person or a classroom which is facilitated by an educator.

Have I got you interested? Well keep reading and watching this space.

I think many people are over Treaty Workshops

I think that this happens because many New Zealanders, especially Pakeha's, see these workshops as pro-Maori. In actual fact the Treaty was written for all Newlanders. Until Pakeha's understand this there will still be a them and us.

There is no them and us. There is only US. Yes us is all New Zealanders. This is what the Treaty of Waitangi is all about.

So why all this hoohaa?

It only comes from those who want to promote separatism not collectism.

We can all claim our space in our little world here at the bottom of the Pacific. We all have rights, the same rights.

So if you want to really understand the Treaty of Waitangi look at it in it's entirety not just the sections you want to claim for yourself. When everyone looks at it in this context we will see that New Zealanders comes in many forms and are all given protection under the treaty.

Arent we just a lucky country?

Cultural Sensitivity goes both ways

I know I am on a bit of a tangent here but it is time us Pakeha New Zealanders stood up for ourselves.

It may have sounded in my last blog that I am against other ethnicities coming to New Zealand. I am not. I feel they add a real richness to the diversity of our country.

What I am concerned about is that as a Pakeha New Zealander we are expected to accomodate everyone else with little regard to ourselves. We have needs and desires that are culturally appropriate for us too and I don't feel these are being met.

Frequently us Kiwi's have care dished out to us in the form of what others think we need. We are suppose to promoting Person Centre Care but it frequently does not happen. We are not understood by those who look after us.

Now I am not saying other ethnicities are not caring - they are but are they giving the care that the person needs to their cultural identity or is it the caregivers cultural identity.

If anyone if offended by what I am saying I am not apolgising. What I want is for those people careing for the elderly, disabled and infirm are giving the care that is appropriate to the clients needs, culture and indeed they want.

If you are having a reaction to this - great? I commend you. You are on the road to recognizing the needs and desires of a Pakeha New Zealander.

I am sick of being so PC!

As a Pakeha New Zealander I am fed up with having to bend to all other ethnic groups in this country.

We have a culture too. We are generally a fairly passive group of people. We have been told to recognise other ethnic groups and be culturally sensitve.

But what about us!!! Who is being sensitive to our needs? Who is making sure people understand US.

Get real Pakeha New Zealanders. Speak up for your needs and your rights. Stop being so passive about it.

A message to all caregivers, including RN's and Managers, Pakeha New Zealanders have rights and needs. Many of us have been living here for 4 or 5 generations. We don't have to take what you give to us.

Pakeha New Zealanders, it is time for a revolution.

Stop apologising for who you are.

Stop being afraid to say what is not happening for you.

Stop receiving care or being dressed in clothes you dont want to wear or are culturally inappropiate for you.

Stop allowing other people saying we are cultrally insenstive. We are not. We are very accommodating to all cultures so how about other cultures thinking about us and our needs.

A message to other ethnicities - Start thinking about what is culturally appropriate for your clients and be culturally sensitive towards them.