If you're taking care of a loved one who is mentally
ill, please know that members of the Friends of St. John
the Caregiver are
praying for you, your care-receiver
and your family in a particular way this week.
If your wife is bipolar . . .
If your son is schizophrenic . . .
If your father has post traumatic stress
disorder . . .
If your daughter has been diagnosed
with
autism . . .
If your husband has depression . .
.
If . . . If . . . If . . .
. . . thank you for the care you
give. Thank you for the prayers you offer -- in your
words and in your deeds.
And if you're receiving care because you're
mentally ill, please know that members of the Friends of
St. John the Caregiver are praying for you, your
caregiver and your family in a particular way this week.
If you're bipolar . . . schizophrenic . . .
have PTSD . . . are autistic . . . have depression
. . . if, if, if . . .
. . . thank you for accepting care. Thank
you for the prayers you offer -- in your words and in
your deeds.
- - -
It's the National Alliance on Mental Health (more
information here)
that promotes Mental Illness Awareness Week (more
information
here). This year it's Oct. 5-11. We thank that group for
raising awareness about mental illness and for providing
information and resources for families. (The art work at
the top of this week's Dear Friends letter is from a NAMI logo.)
For example:
O, God, we gather here together today, as people
from many different faith communities. We come
before You, remembering all those persons whose
lives have been touched by mental illnesses.
We give
thanks for those persons here who have given of
their time and talents to do what they are able to
help persons who are dealing with mental illnesses
in their lives and in the lives of their families
and friends.
We give thanks for the improvement in
medication and treatment programs that have enabled
persons with mental illnesses to live productive
lives.
We pray that our society would do everything
possible to make early diagnosis and treatment a
standard operating procedure.
We pray and ask that
stigma be removed, so that persons and their
families would get the appropriate help as soon as
symptoms appear.
Guide each one of us, and help us,
as we endeavor to bring help and hope to those
families and individuals. Amen
- - -
It's also good to remember that among those offering
care to a loved one are minors -- those who haven't yet
reached the age of 18. In some families, a youngster in
middle school or high school provides a lot of help for
a mom or dad who's mentally or physically ill. We
need to keep those young people in our prayers, too.
- - -
If you visit the Contact Us
page, you'll notice we've added a toll-free 800 number
for calling us the FSJC office. (We're on Pacific time.)
It's 1-800-392-JOHN (5646).
Saturday, Oct. 11
We're presenting a workshop on "The Spirituality of
Family Caregiving: Moments of Panic, Moments of
Grace" at Sacred Heart Parish in Lacey, Wash., from
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It's followed by an optional
one-hour question-and-answer period and discussion
during lunch. Both the workshop and lunch are
free. For more information call Mary Lou Spence
at 360-556-0491.
- - -
Again this week we
invite you to join the Friends of St. John the
Caregiver. You can find out more about becoming a member here.
No meetings, no dues. Our members include
caregivers, care-receivers, and those who support both
(including quite a few former caregivers).
Voters in Washington state won't just be helping choose
a president and a governor on Nov. 4. They'll also be
deciding on an
initiative (I-1000) that would change
current state law that now prohibits physician-assisted
suicide.
A special edition of the Seattle
archdiocesan newspaper on that topic included a
letter from Archbishop Alex J. Brunett. He wrote:
As members of society we have a responsibility to
promote compassion and care for people suffering
from terminal illnesses, always striving to give
them hope and alleviating their fear and pain.
Catholic health care knows from experience with
hospice and palliative care that the pain of
terminally-ill patients can be controlled in 98
percent of all cases. Our participation as faithful
citizens responsible for establishing and
maintaining laws that respect life must always seek
to protect those confronting death. That means we
must be committed to alleviating suffering, not
eliminating the sufferer.
To care for someone who is seriously ill is both a
privilege and a challenge.
And though it can feel burdensome at times,
especially if you don't have the support or
assistance you need, providing care for a loved one
can also be a life-changing experience -- one that
transforms you in "doing the good beyond yourself"
and frees you to love more deeply than you ever
thought possible.
But when a person is exhausted and
overworked, saddened and distraught, caregiving
often feels overwhelming. This is why it is
essential to put into place as much care and support
and respite as is possible.
Here are some tips that may assist you in
some of the practical aspects of caring for a loved
one:
[You can read more
here.]
The coalition's site also has an excellent article
(first published in the King County Bar Association
Bulletin) by John Ruhl and William Watts, M.D., that
examines the initiative from a legal point of view.
And you can
go
here to watch a video in which actor Martin Sheen
explains why the initiative should be defeated.
- - -
Thank you so much to Mary Lou Spence and Sacred Heart
Parish in Lacey, Wash., for hosting a caregiver workshop
on Saturday, Oct. 11. Monica spoke on
"The Spirituality of
Family Caregiving: Moments of Panic, Moments of Grace"
Thank you, also, to the FSJC members who
were there. We were so pleased to welcome a number of
other caregivers and those who help caregivers
(including representatives from the newly-formed
Visiting Nurse Program at St. Michael's Parish in
Olympia, Wash.)
- - -
Need to contact us? As we
mentioned last week, we now have a toll-free telephone
number: 1-800-392-JOHN (5646).
- - -
Please join us in welcoming the newest members of the
Friends of St. John the Caregiver. "Hello" to Lisa and
Scott M. in Wisconsin and to Keri G., who also lives in
Wisconsin. Please keep them and
their intentions in your prayers. They've promised to
pray for caregivers and those receiving care.
And,
of course, we invite you to join, too! You can find out
more about becoming a member here. No meetings, no dues. Our members
include caregivers, care-receivers, and those who
support both (including quite a few former caregivers).
We've added a new video (in three parts) to our YouTube
channel:
JohnTheCaregiver. Monica talks about the "Principles
of
Catholic Caregiving." This is from our workshop at
Sacred Heart Parish in Lacey, Wash., earlier this month.
(Why three parts? YouTube has a size limit
per upload.)
Here's part one (just click the arrow to
watch the video):
You can read more about the principles of Catholic
caregiving in "The Basics of Catholic Caregiving." Click
here for that.
(And -- of course -- we encourage you to
embed the video in your own Web site or blog! And to let
your friends and family know about it, too.)
We'll be continuing to add videos from the workshop and
are in the process of making them available on DVDs,
too. We know that some parish groups have asked about
having educational material available on DVDs for meetings,
training, retreats and so on.
Our order
form has information on our first DVD, which has
been available for a few months now. Just
let us know (write, e-mail
or call toll-free (1-800-392-JOHN (5646)) if you'd like
a copy.
- - -
And speaking of . . . . We've been so pleased with the response to our new
toll-free 1-800 number. Thank you to caregivers, parish
and diocesan staff, and others who have called to become
members of the Friends of St. John the Caregiver,
requested material be sent to them, or asked about
workshops, presentations and retreats.
- - -
And thank you, too, to editors Dan Connors and Julie
Rattey at
Catholic Digest Magazine and author Patricia Lefevre
who wrote "What can faith do for Alzheimer's?" in the
upcoming November issue. A sidebar article includes FSJC
among four resources.
We know from our own experience bringing
Holy Communion to patients in the memory-care wing of a
local nursing home that some residents do perk up to
join in saying the Our Father or Hail Mary, or in
singing a traditional Marian hymn.
As we wrote in the Topic titled "Turning to
Prayer":
Your loved one may surprise you with the number of
prayers and hymns he or she remembers. It's not
uncommon that someone with a significant short-term
memory loss can easily, and happily, recall what he
or she memorized as a child.
And since this week's letter seems to be featuring
"thank you," we also want to acknowledge our own parish,
St. Pius X in Mountlake Terrace, Wash. The staff there
has been wonderful about including "Catholic
Caregivers" fliers in the bulletin. (And our pastor,
Father Sean Fox, makes a point of noting it's been
included during his announcements at Mass after
Communion!)
Like the other resources at
CatholicCaregivers.com, the flier is designed with
parishes in mind.
1. The material is formatted so that it can
be easily downloaded and printed. (Our parish puts it on
the back of a third page that's going to be inserted in
the bulletin anyway!) 2. The issues aren't dated so a parish can
run a particular topic at any time without it seeming .
. . outdated. 3. Like all the resources and services at
YourAgingParent.com, CatholicCaregivers.com and the
Friends of St. John the Caregiver, the fliers are free,
free, free.
Fliers can also be used by groups (Council
of Catholic Women, Catholic Daughters of the Americas,
Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul Society . . .
and all the others), by schools and by individuals.
Please, help yourself to what's there! And
help your parish (group, school, family and friends)
help family caregivers.
We encourage you to ask your parish staff
about including "Catholic Caregivers" in the bulletin!
You could print a copy yourself and have it tucked in
your pocket or purse to show them a sample of what it
offers.
As a member of the parish, you're the best
"salesperson" local family caregivers have for
making that
happen.
- - -
Please join us in welcoming the newest members of the
Friends of St. John the Caregiver. "Hello" to
Anne C. in New York and Teri W. in Indiana. Please keep them and
their intentions in your prayers. They've promised to
pray for caregivers and those receiving care.
And,
of course, we invite you to join, too! You can find out
more about becoming a member here. No meetings, no dues. Our members
include caregivers, care-receivers, and those who
support both (including quite a few former caregivers).
A reminder that next Saturday, Nov. 1, is the feast day
of your family members, friends and other loved ones now
in heaven. And
certainly, in that crowd, there are more
than a few caregivers and care-receivers!
While canonized saints -- those
specifically declared by the Church to be in heaven --
have a personal feast day, every saint (that is, every
soul in heaven) shares All Saints Day.
It's seem safe to say they're praying for
you and your care-receiver on that day . . . and on
every day.
You have friends -- and family -- in high
places!
- - -
We've posted the newest issue of our quarterly
newsletter, "Among
Friends." As always, we'll also be sending e-mails
to let people know it's now available and mailing printed
copies to FSJC members, donors and others who prefer
receiving it that way.
“Most caregivers don’t even think of themselves as
caregivers. . . . [They often] slide into the role.
But caregiving comes with a whole host of
responsibilities that go way beyond being a wife, a
husband, a daughter or a son.”
--Eugene McClory, Coordinator of the Caregiver
Assistance Network for Catholic Social Services of
Southwestern Ohio
“Over the years I’ve had the privilege to know many
strong Catholic families raising children with
disabilities. The parents understand through direct
experience how precious every human life is, no
matter how burdened by special problems and needs.
Their witness of love is extraordinary, but it isn’t
easy. . . . ”
--Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.,
Archdiocese of Denver
- - -
November is also National Family Caregiver Month. You
can read more about that and about a free "teleclass"
hosted by the National Family Caregiver Association
here.
The second Sunday of the month -- this
year, Nov. 9 --is Family Caregiver Sunday. You can read
more about how your parish can mark that occasion
here.
- - -
Please join us in welcoming the newest member of the
Friends of St. John the Caregiver. "Hello" to
Linda B. in Florida. Please keep her and her intentions in your prayers.
She's promised to
pray for caregivers and those receiving care.
And,
of course, we invite you to join, too! You can find out
more about becoming a member here. No meetings, no dues. Our members
include caregivers, care-receivers, and those who
support both (including quite a few former caregivers).
praying for you, your care-receiver
and your family in a particular way this week.
initiative (I-1000) that would change
current state law that now prohibits physician-assisted
suicide.
Catholic Caregiving." This is from our workshop at
Sacred Heart Parish in Lacey, Wash., earlier this month.
certainly, in that crowd, there are more
than a few caregivers and care-receivers!