For Healthcare Practitioner(videos)

We often think that moving in with your loved one who is ill, makes your caregiving journey far more easier. Here is Rashmi’s story, an invisible warrior, who has been a caregiver to her father who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease over 10 years ago. Packing up your bags and family to move in with your elderly parents, out of the blue, is never an easy task. It was not just her that was compensating and sacrificing things but her Read More

“I could understand the pain the caregivers of my patients were going through… I would always give more time to listen to their problems…” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEcgLgHImy8&t=35s Dr Arnika Singhal, a doctor and a caregiver to her parents, talks about what it is to be a healthcare professional and a caregiver. She shares how her experience as a caregiver helped her empathize with the caregivers of her patients. As she mentions, there are several challenges faced by healthcare professionals who are also Read More

“You came in here doing lots of things and assuming from our conversations, enjoying life, and that really shouldn’t stop. But you’ve got this new challenge and we’re going to be here for you, we’re going to help you wade through this…” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBJ6XccZnPg&feature=emb_logo Beyond the diagnosis of a disease or illness, healthcare practitioners are also required to deliver unpleasant news to their patients sometimes. It becomes important for them to share this news in an effective yet compassionate way. The Read More

“Taking care of ME in medicine is taking care of YOU” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHdAFc9_tEA&feature=youtu.be Dr. Williams is the Medical Director and Founder of Healing Wings International, a wellness practice in the US. Her compassion has earned her a reputation as “a doctor with a difference”. Physician burnout is the leading cause for suicide among doctors but it’s rarely given any attention. It is characterized by the lack of motivation, lack of empathy, frustration and depression. Therefore, self care becomes vital for healthcare professionals Read More

“For the entire journey of a caregiver, we would like to be present for them, as companions, as they walk this journey” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOr6v5SElr4&feature=youtu.be Bhavana Issar, the founder and CEO of Caregiver Saathi talks about what compelled her to form this organization. She had seen first-hand the often overlooked role that family caregivers undertake, and the lack of healing this can bring. She thought about the common denominator between all illnesses and realized that the underlying thread is the family caregiver. Read More

“Palliative care is a paradigm from diagnosis through the end of life…This is not about the end of life, it is about life. It is not about the elderly, it is about people.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI-CnsKyOuk Palliative care is something that is commonly associated with either the elderly, or those suffering from severe diseases along the lines of cancer and neurological conditions. In this honest talk about palliative medicine, Dr. Timothy Ihrig examines the importance of palliative care not just medically, but Read More

“Important to look back on how you got into the commitments … They don’t remember saying yes, but they know for sure they never said no…” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRq1oLNnZNo Physicians are trained to help people right away even if it does not benefit them or overloads them with work, this tendency to never refuse a task creates an imbalance between work and life. Many times, they don’t remember the exact point at which they became burdened with tasks.  “Say no right away Read More

“This is the single most important factor to remember if you want to save yourself from vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue, keep the boundary between yourself and your patients very clear.”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkJD4BbMLHA&feature=youtu.be During the COVID-19 outbreak, healthcare professionals are going through a lot of physical and mental exhaustion. Prachi Vaish, a Clinical psychologist, highlights the anxiety that these healthcare professionals face, especially during such a crisis. “Do not get emotionally attached to your patients… It is not your job to Read More

“This is not gonna come as a surprise to your patient or their family, they just need validation of what they already fear and know deep inside themselves.”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kQ3PUyhmPQ Health care practitioners often find themselves in situations where they have to discuss difficult topics with patients and caregivers (e.g. Failing treatment). While many healthcare professionals may agree that having these discussions is beneficial for the patient, many of them do not initiate them, mainly due to the lack of training. Dr Diane Read More

“Each and every one of you will at some point in your lifetime become a caregiver to a loved one close to you. Today the experience of caregiving is far from ideal and as a designer, I believe it can be better. It’s time to redesign caregiving!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qil8M2xs_xQ&t=743s Lekshmy Parameswaran is a designer who has been working in healthcare innovation for 20 years. She studies and redesigns systems to make the interactions people have with care systems better. During her projects, she Read More