EXERCISE – take a walk, ride a bike, do yoga or tai chi, stretch – even in small increments throughout the day this will help.  Two or three 10-minute walks are just as effective as one 30-munite walk.
LAUGH often & loudly, read jokes, watch funny TV shows & movies.  I took an art class once a week and I’m sure we did more laughing than painting!
FUN – do something that makes you smile – play with your pet, be silly with your grandchildren, dance, and sing, putter in the garden, go out with friends.
COMPASSION –cultivate it for yourself as well as others.  Don’t “should on yourself” – you’re doing the best you can.
ACCEPT – remember the serenity prayer “Grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference”.  These are wise words.
REST – as a caregiver, you can constantly feel overwhelmed and drained – both emotionally and physically.  Give yourself a break - take a nap, get a good night’s sleep, sit in nature, meditate, listen to music you enjoy.
ENGAGE – Get to know the nurses and other professionals that may be caring for your family member.  Greet them by name, ask about their families, & most importantly let them know how grateful you are for the work they do.  I really do believe my mom got better care because the staff knew that I appreciated them. ​

Sue Perisi is certified as a Yoga instructor, Reiki II practitioner, Urban Zen Integrative Therapist, and holistic health coach.  She has created corporate wellness programs for more than 250 companies, taught fitness classes to seniors and cancer survivors and is devoted to empowering others to create robust health and wellness through mindful practices, nutrition, and self-care.  You can learn more about Sue’s background, her integrative therapy work and her signature program Yoga-Nutra RX™
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Imagine being taken from your bed by strangers in the middle of the night, transported to a place full of glaringly bright lights, bone chilling temperatures, and ear shattering noises. Then imagine waiting in that chaos for 8 hours, your body wracked with pain, before a surgeon tells you you’ll never walk again without surgery. Imagine how frightening those words were to an 86 year-old woman who had never had surgery in her life.

Despite concerns about her COPD and elevated blood pressure, Mom had surgery the next day.
I then had less than 3 days to find a SNF that (a) had an open bed (b) would accept her insurance and (c) was within 20 miles from my home.
Mom was transferred to the SNF 3 days after surgery and began physical therapy 2 days later. She was so frail and weak the therapists had to strap a belt around her to avoid her falling – even using a walker.
Mom never recovered from that fall. It broke her spirit as well as her hip. Within 2 weeks, she had deteriorated so badly she was placed on hospice. Ten days later another early morning phone call. Mom died, alone in her bed, in the nursing home. I had visited her every day on my way to work, my lunch hour, and on my way home, but I wasn’t with her in those final hours. It was the lowest point in my life.

The grief process was slow and often excruciating. But I am so grateful for the gift my mom gave to me as she allowed me to escort her through those final months of her life. For even in dying, there is wellness. There is healing. Ultimately there is peace.
The journey with Mom ignited my desire to work to bring the care back into health care. It brought me full circle back to my passion for teaching wellness. Now I offer tools and resources to help others take charge of their health. I’m on mission to help others embrace their own self care for without it, health care is nothing more than sick care