33. Empty Nest Adult Caregiving - Getting Beyond Burnout with Carole Jeanne Runnels

Getting Beyond Burnout When You Are Barely Hanging On As a Caregiver Adult caregivers, you can avoid burnout as you care for your loved one. It’s sure not easy and, often, we forget to care for ourselves in the process. “Honor your father and mother,” in Exodus 20:12 is a commandment with a promise. The Lord shares that if we honor our parents, our days may be long in the land He gives us. Being a caregiver of your own parents or an aging adult is both a labor of love and a responsibility. The task comes with many stressors that affect your mental and emotional health, your ability to relax, sleep well and overall quality of life. Often, your own finances are affected as is your work/life balance and time with your immediate family, perhaps your own children. Join Charlotte and Carole Jeanne Runnels, R.N. as they talk about caring for yourself in the process of caregiving while ensuring your loved one receives the best possible care. Carole Jeanne is a committed Christ-follower, a dear friend of Charlotte’s, and lovingly cared for her mother, father, aunt and uncle for 12 years into their end-stages of life. Her nursing career of 38 years included serving as an oncology nurse, an educational programs coordinator and as a school nurse. Caregiving is hard. Yet it is priceless time to help your loved ones finish out their lives well. Keeping your spiritual tank full, involving Christian community and finding small things that bring you joy are helpful as is taking the scenic route and remembering the fullness of your aging adult’s life. Carole Jeanne suggests sharing the freedom that comes from the ability to discuss everything and to serve as your loved ones advocate. Tapping in to community resources and offering yourself a bit of grace will help you “do the next right thing” as you care for your loved one. Tune in to hear more from this insightful conversation. These scriptures helped Carole Jeanne and they can help you: “The Joy of the Lord is my strength,” Nehemiah 8:10 “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Phil. 4:13. A suggested book for help is Cruising Through Caregiving by Jennifer FitzPatrick, MSW, LCSW-C, CSP. You can purchase it here: Amazon.com : cruising through caregiving. To reach Charlotte: https://charlotteguest.com Empty Nest Guests is part of the Spark Media Collective. For this podcast and other amazing Christian podcasts, visit the Edifi Podcast Network | Edifi.

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