Caregiver Feedback
One of the things the research is clearly directing us to do is to embrace caregiver and stakeholder feedback in our work. This is a hard thing to do as time and money are always tight. I had the incredible luck to have mutual friends connect me to a parent, who agreed to do this for Fit4Work in the Community.
After reviewing her feedback we had a lovely exchange that really drove home a few points for me.
We need to be having many more conversations with families: This is difficult for us to do when we work for institutions and organizations and especially litigious ones. But the more converstiosn we have the more we can hear the caregives and provide that crucial support.
I am not inside anyone else’s head and they arent in mine: I know way more than I think I do, and I consider myself an expert. But sometimes, when I share this information I make assumptions of knowledge. And this could be the person knows more or even knows less.
What else can we do to help the family system and especially for those carrying the heaviest loads to be more supported, connected and centered? I have been down deep in the yoga/mindfulness world the last few years and I 100% believe if the family is more centered and connected they will make better decisions and feel better about the direction we are going.
I have always wished for a magic wand, to wave away the problems of people in my life…but sometimes that magic wand presents itself in different ways. Sometimes that magic wand comes to us in the form of a kind word to someone else, just the right piece of information at the right time, or an insight that changes the direction the ship is sailing. Because the answer most people seeking lies within: within us, within the stakeholder, or within the youth themselves. I am encouraging you to look at the Fit4Work resources I have, see how they work in your context and connect within your community. This, is, I am sure the magic wand.
Yours in health,
Connie Johnson, PT, DScPT
