Thank you Mrs Nails , one of our great Forum Volunteers , for letting us know that it is International Volunteer Day Today .
I was planning a quiz , but instead I think it's a perfect time to add a few tips to help us show our thanks , in a practical way , and give a helping hand to those that help us in the run up to Christmas , be they Family , Friends , or Volunteer or Paid Carers.
Christmas can have us all in a flurry . Especially when we have a Chronic Condition and know we need a bit more than the usual weekly help to help us try and get all those Christmas jobs done that we can't do ourselves.
Sometimes , we don't mean to , but we forget that those Caring , Sharing People whom help make our lives easier Everyday , be they are partners , children , friends Support Workers or Carers, have got the same extra jobs to do themselves too.
Many of you will have volunteered to help sick or frail Family members over the years , so you will remember that you often took on extra trips to the shops , deliveries and decorating and cooking duties while also trying to fit in all of your own extra tasks too. You were happy to do it , just as our Family and Carers are happy to do it too , but it did make the run up to Christmas that much more busy and tiring on top or the usual Caring activities.
Today is for Volunteers , but if you need more intensive Care from Paid or Charity Support , it's good to know that they are Volunteers in lots of ways too.
All those little jobs they might ask if you need help with , from picking up a few bits from the shops , taking you to Special places , filling in things, or that extra lift and night out , usually aren't in their job descriptions , they aren't paid to go the extra mile , they do it because they Care.
It's always nice to give them a gift or lovely card to say Thanks at Christmas , but there is also a few ways that you can say Thank You now too , ways that will help them cope and be more Stress Free . By giving them a little time in your Christmas Schedule to help them get some rest and do the things that they need to make their Pre Christmas list easier , you will give them the same feeling of gratitude that You feel towards them.
Discuss with your Family or Friends what their Pre Christmas plans are , or if they have any special things they want to do that don't include you.
Then plan to give them a morning , afternoon or day off that fits in with both your needs so that they can get out , have fun , do jobs for themselves , or just have a well earned rest. Festive Pacing is as important for Carers as it is for the Cared for.
If you have a designated Volunteer or Paid Carer , include their needs in your plans before Christmas with some really simple things that won't affect your Needs but will be enjoyable and make things more Stress Free for you both.
Some ideas include :
Asking if there are any shops they particularly need to go to on a shopping trip and adding them to your list of places to go.
If they are helping you write cards or wrap gifts , suggest they bring some of theirs over too , so you can do them together. They may not need to take up the offer but they will be touched that the thought was there . It will help you to bond too.
Find out if they have a Nativity or Show that they might be missing because they help you that day . If it's a Family member or friend , plan to have them help you on a different day instead , or help your Paid Carer rearrange their Day off so they don't miss out.
If Time off isn't possible because of your health needs but you enjoy a trip out why not give them a special Christmas gift and offer to go to watch that Nativity with them .
Just like us , our Family helpers will also be getting tired , and might be a bit stressed by the extra work load too , so if , like Raymond Briggs , ' Father Christmas ' , "they get a little grumpy" be Patient with them , just as we hope they will be Patient with Us when we get a bit Stressed .
Last , don't forget all those People that work as volunteers behind the scenes in Support Groups or on Forums like this one . They are trying to sort out their own Christmas , and often dealing with their own Health issues as well as helping us too, like PMR/ GCA they may not be ' visible' but their work on our behalf is, they all deserve thanks for all the help they share.
And , from Me , Thank You , all of my Forum Faraway Friends !
Be you Moderators , Volunteers or Members for the time you give to others , and especially for the Help and Support you give to people like Me , your kind words and advice are genuinely the reason that I can still have a little humour on my darker days.
I love you All .
Thank You Hugs , Auntie Bee xxx 😘😘😘😘😍
And as today's door , on a day thanking our Santa's little helpers , a photo of a Cheeky Elf kindly donated by the Girl we know as Grandma , my own Special Young Helper.
