There is no doubt about it – live-in care has its good and bad sides. It can be lonely, frustrating, belittling and rewarding, all in the same day. Little wonder that sometimes we do not feel like smiling all the time.
So, is it important to have a sense of humour?
While this may be a personal opinion, it is a well-known fact that smiling can and does ‘pour oil over troubled waters.’
Whether we get through the day in a happy mood or not is largely up to us, but perhaps there are some things we can do to find that funny side of life.
Go with the flow if possible
Some of our clients will be able to see the funny side in some situations, there will be some people who are too far advanced even to be able to hold a conversation with the carer.
Bear in mind that you may not be able to share a joke with some clients, but you can accept them as they are and adapt your own outlook.
Everyone says and does funny things at times, whether they realise it or not, and your client may be no different. There is a difference to laughing at someone and laughing with someone, and having your client join in when you have a giggle will lighten things all round.
Define your own job
One example of this is when your client decides she prefers to sleep in her recliner, or on the sofa rather than in bed.
Assuming that she will be safe there, you may simply cover her up and let her sleep. Your job is to keep your client safe, rather than decide where she sleeps. If she is safe other than in her bed, why worry?
Once we understand our own role, it may be a little less stressful.
Look for comedy – everywhere
Try to find humour where you can. Watch those old movies with your client, play songs that your client enjoys from ‘way back when.’
Anything that brings humour into a day is good, anything that gets you and your client to smile, and laugh will go a long way to helping with things like sadness and loneliness. Laughing will remove some frustration from daily grind.
Get some distance yourself
Take your own break – all the time. Get out of the house, go for a walk, meet up with fellow carers for a chat, and if you have time, see a movie that you’ve been planning on watching.
Simply taking a walk through the market in most towns will lighten your mood. Sit on a park bench and watch children playing, or people passing by.
Contact your friends, call your family, or have a chat with a neighbour about ‘regular’ things such as their rose garden or cute dog.
Final thoughts
Taking a strategic retreat, even for a few hours will put some distance between you and your job. Try to keep things all in perspective and remember that there is truthfully more to life than caring.
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