The Gentle Path of Caregiving: Embracing Slow Living and Self-Care

In North America, the month of May is Caregiver Awareness month. It is an opportunity to explore a role that can creep up on us at any time in our lives.  From high school students to retirees, the caregiving role can be temporary or a lifelong commitment.

Caregiving is an awakening to mindfulness which can be received with grace or perceived as a chore, but there is always a choice. Nature is always available to support the mental, physical, and spiritual health required by an individual when caring for another.

This quote from Dr. Dyer, speaks to the why of caregiving, and here I will outline some ways I have found to best navigate the physical and emotional landscape of caregiving.

“Embrace oneness by seeing yourself in everyone you encounter.” – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

Drawing from ancient traditions, modern research, and personal experience, I will share how nature is a source of strength and inspiration. From the sunrise, to rainbows, from birdsongs to herbals, nature has your back.

The Caregiver’s Landscape

The caregiver’s normal is like a mountain range, as well as caring for another, the caregiver has to practice self care. There are many highs and lows, hopefully, more highs. It matters because the emotional terrain can be navigated like an ecosystem. Our bodies react to the external pressures just like the planet’s natural ecosystem.

What does it mean to be a caregiver? Each caregiver will have their own unique experience, but there are common threads. The experience varies according the level of dependency of the one that is cared for by the caregiver, the culture, and accessibility to external supports.

Research completed by Schulz and Beach in 1999, provided the evidence to show what caregivers knew, that caregiving can cause stress with measurable results.

Zarit Burden Interview

Another well known tool used to access the effects of caregiving is the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), developed by Zarit and Bach-Peterson. What researchers found is that the level of the perceived burden of caregiving predicted health outcomes and emotional distress.

The Zarit interview questionnaire gives people an idea of where they are in the caregiving landscape. However, I have found that those who live it already know it, and seek ways to best manage and thrive in their experience.

On the positive side, there are studies that suggest caregivers live longer, and show more true grit and determination in their lives. However, for those who are looking for a deeper understanding of what can impact us in ways we don’t expect through the lens of nature, here are some samples:

Unseen Damage

Indoor plants provide us with a good example. When we overwater plants, they may seem okay for a while, but then leaves drop off, and when you look at the root system, you find that it is water logged and caused the roots to rot underneath before it was visible on the surface. So it is with caregivers, the strain of caregiving may not be apparent until health issues surface, and they realise there is a problem.

A simple and mindful way to monitor your experience, is journaling. I have outlined this as a way for embracing your experience in nature, but it will work for caregiving too.

More Supports, Better Outcomes

It is always nice to know you are not alone in caregiving, and there are people ready to extend themselves to assist beyond the help available through your inner circle. Depending on where you are globally, public assistance can vary from generous to almost none.

In nature, when an ecosystem is damaged or under stress, there is a better chance of recovery if there are diverse supports available. Support from friends and relatives are welcome, but in these times, everyone is facing their own challenges. So while practical supports can improve the landscape of caregiving, they are unlikely to be available in the time and space required.

Exposure to Chronic Stress

As the Schulz and Beach study showed, the human body is affected by constant stress inducing stimuli. This is like wind and water reshaping eco-systems over time. In this I space, I have shared various eco-therapy supports which may be helpful in alleviating stress, such as horticultural therapy.

Output of Energy

If energy is constantly outgoing in the caregiving role, there will be damage and depletion just like a desert, or farmland without nutrients. It is at times like this I take off my shoes and walk barefoot on the lawn. This is grounding, and an ancient way of receiving restorative energy from the earth.

Another popular way to replenish mind and body resources is forest bathing. This is a proven restorative practise with research confirmed results. You can receive a short guide when you subscribe to this site.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day caregiving is part of life’s journey. We learn to care for ourselves as we care for others, and nature can assist us in our wellbeing through the peaks and valleys of that task. Throughout history there have been many trailblazing caregivers, such as Harriet Tubman (1822-1913) who opened a home for aged and indigent Americans of African descent when there was no such place for them at the time.

In modern society, caregivers follow the slow gentle path of caregiving with compassion and love, unsung in the quiet storms and admired from afar.

Are you a caregiver? Share your thoughts and nature supports in the comments below.