For Healthcare Practitioner(videos)

“The strong recommendation to take care of your self-care, today, is you pick something that you can implement right away instead of waiting for something that exquisite and planned out, but you will never be able to do” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-DtoZdKlrU&feature=youtu.be   This video has a few doctors sharing about their experiences of self-care and ideas for other healthcare professionals. Though these medical experts are based in the US, the inputs are relevant and applicable in the Indian context as well. Initially, Read More

“Hippocrates said -Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always – Our challenge is to find new ways to reconnect, to build communities and show we care” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwbMQYwgzWE As a Cancer nerd, head of Hematology at the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Dr.David Joske says he is very passionate about Cancer care. In his long years of experience he observes that even though modern medicine has come a long way, patients are still not treated in a humane manner. He has dedicated his Read More

“Our training does not include self-care so we don’t learn to recognize when we are feeling a little overwhelmed…..We need to all be taught coping strategies and how to  positively deal with emotions and stressors that come up when you’re dealing with distressing situations” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44Hj1ktZ8zY&feature=youtu.be Dr Leena Gangolli is a  Geriatric Palliative Care Specialist. In this video she addresses the under-recognized issue of burnout which is prevalent in the healthcare industry. She feels healthcare professionals address complex issues where they are surrounded Read More

“In order to fulfill this noble calling to heal and save lives, they must first learn to heal and save their own, for the sake of their patients, for the sake of their families, for the sake of themselves. They must know this, they must believe this” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udV0tt6SjbQ After a low point of illness as a child, Dr Ed Ellison was moved by his pediatrician who showed kindness and compassion. It motivated him to become a doctor, a healer. In Read More

“Without informal caregivers, our health and social systems would crumble, and yet they are largely going unrecognized” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6mNITMY7e0 Scott Williams was diagnosed with Lyme disease as a child and recovered thanks to his father’s invaluable role of a caregiver. After that experience he started to recognize informal caregivers and the enormous challenges they face. As a long distance caregiver himself to his mother, he understands the importance and demands on a caregiver. They provide emotional support, manage finances and deal Read More

“Take them on as care partners and empower to the extent possible them with information about the disease they are going to be dealing with” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9NWRWGutkY&feature=youtu.be Family caregivers have an extremely important role where they are with the patient 24 hours and attend to every problem as they want to do their best and are emotionally attached. Whereas professional help or caretakers do their specified role in a certain span of time. It is their job and they get paid for Read More

“It is a huge issue that the healthcare system is refusing to see because it is convenient for us to pretend they do not exist…to ignore their suffering, particularly because they have no voice” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8V1EDZFR20&feature=youtu.be Dr Rajagopal gives us some insight into the suffering of caregivers. He claims that majority of caregivers are women whose voices are not heard.  Dr. Rajagopal feels that when programs are being created for caregivers, particular focus must be given to children. He shares how the Read More

“Palliative care is an approach which recognizes , first of all, that the unit of care is not only the patient but the family or the loved ones around the patient and secondly that aims to alleviate total pain”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7p9WyakORY&feature=youtu.be Dr. Leena Gangoli is a geriatric palliative care specialist who helps us understand palliative care where not only are the needs of the patient addressed but also the patient’s family and loved ones. This holistic approach aims to ease all Read More

“Death is a part of life….we must add life to days, not days to life”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyJTf7Y5lak&feature=youtu.be When informing a patient about an illness, doctors are expected to be honest, accurate and optimistic. This can be a tough combination, so conveying bad news in a systematic and sensitive way is crucial to avoid wrong expectations from the patient. Openness is something Dr Roop firmly believes in.  He insists that his patients must always be told the truth of their disease/illness in a Read More

“We need responsible, compassionate doctors who can hand hold them….keep the human being comfortable.”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aViJJJsNbRI Apart from being a doctor where she engages with caregivers, Dr Rajam Iyer has also been a caregiver to her own parents. While being a caregiver to her parents, watching them interact with doctors, she realized how a doctor can change the life of a patient.  A doctor’s language, tone or body posture can make the patient/caregiver feel less burdened with their situation. She realized that Read More