How To Manage Seagulls in End of Life Caregiving

Patty Webster of The Conversation Project is talking with me about the swoopers and seagulls that are sometimes part of the caregiving experience. As part of her caregiving journey with her dad and siblings, Patty realized that she had been a “swooper”, offering her opinions about her dad’s care during an intermittent visit.  Here’s what Patty says she learned: Supporting the primary caregiver is an important part of caregiving from a distance.“Swoopers” and “seagulls” tend to offer input into the actions of the primary caregiver creating a mess in the care of their Person.  Patty and her siblings had to learn from her dad how he defined quality of life, and then support him in the right ways. Knowing each other’s strengths is the key to success of a caregiving team.Shifting the approach to communication when it’s not working, and listening to each other is vital to creating the best caregiving environment.  Supporting your Person’s decisions about care contributes to feelings of confidence and comfort.   Patty and the team at The Conversation Project offer multiple resources for end of life conversations, offering resources for making end of life wishes known.  Website: theconversationproject.org Social media: Facebook Twitter   Instagram YouTube        Connect with The Conversation Project with questions (and to donate to support their work!) here        Need to have a conversation about end of life? Get started with resources from The Conversation Project. Interested in purchasing a GrandPad to stay connected with a senior loved one?  Get more information at https://www.grandpad.net/thoh. GrandPad website: https://www.grandpad.net/ Social Media for GrandPad https://facebook.com/grandpad https://instagram.com/grandpad_social/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/grandpad https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuFAJCb7_tTneM_ikABq08Q Hospice Navigation Services is here for you. If you have questions about hospice care or need to troubleshoot the care you’re already receiving, book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com.  Connect with The Heart of Hospice Podcast and host Helen Bauer Website: theheartofhospice.com Social media: Facebook  Twitter  Instagram LinkedIn Email: [email protected] More podcast episodes: The Heart of Hospice Podcast Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to [email protected].