Chaplain talks about spirituality at caregiver event

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- A nursing home chaplain talked about the spirituality of care giving at a conference on Friday at the New Ulm Community Center.

Mary Pauluk of St. John's Lutheran Home in Springfield talked about how she and other care givers can use spirituality to deal with their chosen vocation.

Helping another human being is the greatest call of all, Pauluk told a variety of area care givers and exhibitors that provide care giver services. She talked about other virtues of being a care giver.

"Seniors have wonderful stories to tell and give you a chance to learn new things," Pauluk said.

A woman who cared for her mother who survived Alzheimer's Disease for 20 years said she learned to enhance her relationship with her mother by cherishing the sweet moments, realizing that their time together was limited.

Pauluk urged care givers to utilize respite (rest from care giving) with the help of groups like Brown County Faith in Action.

"Care givers often neglect their own bodies and minds," Pauluk said. "That's why the help they can get is so important. Put on your own mask first. Too much output and no input creates burnout."

She told care givers to take a break when they get frustrated, choose their battles, and know when to let go, or they could become victims of burnout.

"Not caring anymore is a huge, huge loss," Pauluk said. "Care givers are vulnerable to hurting themselves because they have intense relationships with others."

Pauluk stressed that everybody is motivated by something different. Motivational factors include marriage vows, honoring their mother and father by providing care so they can live at home, being a good Samaritan, a good neighbor, or viewing the best way to live life is by serving others.

She used Jesus and the New Testament as her spiritual guides.

"Jesus is the ultimate care giver," Pauluk said. "He healed every disease but he also received care."

Care giver resources noted at the conference centered on the Region Nine Development Commission in Mankato. Region Nine serves Brown, Nicollet, Sibley, Le Sueur, Blue Earth, Waseca, Watonwan, Martin and Faribault counties.

The RNDC is involved in the Area Agency on Aging, census data center, community development, conferences and workshops, disaster relief, economic development, grant writing and new projects, the Healthy Communities Network, housing, land use and zoning, marketing, parks and recreation, public relations, revolving loan funds, rural health, the Small Business Development Center, small business financing, studies and surveys, tourism, transportation and welfare reform planning. For more information, visit www.rndc.org or call 1-800-450-5643.

Other free-of-charge resources noted at the conference:

* The Senior LinkAge Line includes health insurance counseling. Counselors help seniors understand Medicare benefits, rights and choices; explore health insurance options; file, track and appeal claims; compare long-term care insurance options; complete applications for public benefit programs; and refer clients to other community services when appropriate.

For more information, call 1-800-333-2433. The number includes RxConnect, which has trained specialists to find clients the correct drug manufacturer patient assistance programs to meet income and prescription needs. It also has links to resources on Alzheimer's, arthritis, Parkinson's disease and more.