Practicing Gratitude
It may seem counter-intuitive, but now is the time to be grateful
Dear Caregivers,
Being a caregiver to a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s disease can sometimes be overwhelming. There are medical concerns, emotional upheavals, financial worries, and anxiety about what the future will bring. Having observed the caregiving process for many years on both a personal and professional level, I have a lot of empathy for how burdensome it can sometimes feel. And that is why I founded NAN: To be your trusted, helpful companion on this journey.
But there is another thing that can make your burden a little lighter: As counter-intuitive as it may seem, we can all benefit from feeling grateful. “Practicing gratitude” -- the simple act of taking a moment to give thanks for our lives, and those of our loved ones -- can produce enormous benefits psychologically. Experts suggest cultivating gratitude through activities such as writing a weekly thank you note to someone who has helped you, keeping a list of three to five things that you are grateful for, and performing a gratitude ritual such as pausing each day to give thanks or saying grace before a meal.
Here are some other ways you can develop the power of practicing gratitude:
Know where you are going:
One way to set the groundwork to be grateful for the lives that you and your loved one have lived is to have a greater clarity about the processes that will be affecting your loved one going forward. Learning more about the early, mild, moderate, and late stages of Alzheimer’s will help you focus on appreciating what you have, not what you lack.
Capture your loved one’s story:
Documenting your loved one’s life story to share with your family and friends can be a great way to preserve precious memories, help family members to connect, and provide insight into family stories and culture. It will also lay the foundation for being grateful for the life that has been led. Here’s how to begin.
Practice a daily meditation:
Scientific research has shown that just a few minutes of daily meditation can have dramatic effects on your physical health. Meditation has been shown to lower blood pressure and the occurrence of heart disease, while it improves the immune system and enhances physical response to chronic diseases. It also helps you focus and reflect on the many gifts of life. While simple to practice, meditation is the first step in a lifelong process that will have a profound impact on your ability to care for yourself and others.
Best,
Rosemary D Laird, MD, MHSA
Founder and Chief Medical Officer
"Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
— Melody Beattie
