February 1, 2021 – Reflecting back on the past year feels odd since for so long now my focus has been at the day-to-day level, trying to keep our team and clients safe and our company moving forward.

Seven years ago, I made a commitment to myself that we would never take shortcuts when providing our services to seniors and only provide the highest quality of care. It is no secret that the entire healthcare industry has been pushed to the limits during this pandemic, and Guided Living was no different.

Over this past year, there were dozens, probably hundreds, of extraordinary moments that made me grateful for our team. There were also emotional times when seeing our clients, their families and our own Guided Living team face devastating challenges, stressful situations and even the loss of loved ones. Through everything, our team came through, every time. We did not once leave a client without services and on their own, thanks to our team stepping up and taking extra shifts even when it meant going out of their way. Our clients and their families will be forever grateful.

I know there are still challenges ahead this year and beyond. However, I do not have a single doubt that all of us will be able to face them head on to meet our shared goal, and common passion, which is caring for others. Our seniors need us more than ever, and in new ways, and I know we will continue to be there for them.

Thank you for every individual effort that you gave, and continue to give, for our seniors. I am honored and humbled to be a part of this team.

Sincerely,

Patrick Flaherty
Founder – Guided Living Senior Home Care

Confirming Our Practices

• All clients are screened thoroughly upon intake to keep you safe especially during this time.
• The office has ongoing communication to clients and families to ensure proper protocols are being followed.
• Guided Living will continue to provide PPE ongoing. As a reminder that when in a clients home masks are mandatory at all times, if you are low on any PPE, please contact the office or complete the form here: Guided Living PPE Request Form

And as a reminder, it is always a good practice to:

• Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• When soap and running water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Practice good respiratory etiquette, including covering coughs and sneezes.
• And always, if you feel any signs or symptoms of illness, please let the office know right away.

While we’re enduring the losses, threats, and deprivations of the pandemic and the disturbance and challenges of political division and a necessary reckoning with racism, we can embrace this time of trauma as a teacher. If we do, it can make us more healthy and whole, wiser and stronger than we’ve ever been, kinder and more committed to creating a world in which we care for ourselves and love one another.

James S. Gordon, MD ~ Founder ~ The Center for Mind-Body Medicine

Free App Description:

Caring for oneself is essential to navigate stress, avoid burnout, and improve our ability to be present in the moment and in our lives.

This is particularly true for caregivers: the humanitarian aid workers, healthcare providers, first responders, and others in caregiving roles that dedicate their lives to helping others, often at the expense of their own wellbeing.

This is why we created a free app, Care for Caregivers: Skills for Resilience through Meditation and Mindful Movement, which can support caregivers in need of rebalancing. It affirms their resilience and ability to thrive and recover from difficult situations, even in the face of acute and chronic stress.

The Care for Caregivers app provides eight guided meditations led by Sharon Salzberg and Gayla Marie Styles that you can watch any time, anywhere, and at your own pace, each between 5-6 minutes long.

Download for iPhone

Download for Android/Google Play

Tips to Manage Caregiver Stress

You can ease your stress with a few simple techniques that don’t take a lot of time. Try these methods to ratchet down the tension. Two-minute relaxation. Switch your thoughts to yourself and your breathing. Take a few deep breaths and exhale slowly. Then do a mental scan of your body to find which areas feel tense or cramped. Quickly loosen up these areas. Let go of as much tension as you can…

Emergency Responders: Tips for taking care of yourself

Responding to disasters is both rewarding and challenging work. Sources of stress for emergency responders may include witnessing human suffering, risk of personal harm, intense workloads, life-and-death decisions, and separation from family. Stress prevention and management is critical for responders to stay well and to continue to help in the situation. There are important steps responders should take before, during, and after an event. To take care of others, responders must be feeling well and thinking clearly.

You Can Take Care of Yourself in Coronavirus Quarantine or Isolation, Starting Right Now

Six things you can do right at this moment, along with some simple exercise equipment to get for your house.

Taking Care of Your Emotional Health

It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief, and worry during and after a disaster. Everyone reacts differently, and your own feelings will change over time. Notice and accept how you feel. Taking care of your emotional health during an emergency will help you think clearly and react to the urgent needs to protect yourself and your family. Self-care during an emergency will help your long-term healing.

Helping Children Cope with Emergencies

Regardless of your child’s age, he or she may feel upset or have other strong emotions after an emergency. Some children react right away, while others may show signs of difficulty much later. How a child reacts and the common signs of distress can vary according to the child’s age, previous experiences, and how the child typically copes with stress.

151 Self Care Ideas to Increase Mindfulness and Avoid Burnout

The best self-care ideas are self-care activities that resonate with you on a personal level. The best way to come up with a complete self care plan is to make a list of all the things you enjoy doing best for self care. However, many of us have forgotten what it is like to take care of yourself first.