Roll the tape.
Piggy-backing on my post about continuity rituals, I wanted to address our daily rituals. It occurred to me that while I watch my husband daily attend to his hearing aids, I don’t know how to work with them. They’re attuned to his smartphone so he can control volume and interactions with his phone. While he’s mastered his daily care, I have only a basic understanding of why he makes certain choices.
We’ve decided it’s time to record some of the daily rituals that make a difference in our comforts. For him, it’s his routine with hearing aids. For me, I want someone to know how I take my coffee (cream/milk with 2 packets of stevia). I’m even picky about my stevia, but it’s not critical. What is critical is that I can’t drink coffee black. Now tea, the darker and stronger, the better.
I have a medication I take for migraine headaches. Because I can’t tolerate the generic versions, I take a brand name prescription. My insurance does not cover it, and consequently, each pill in a 9-pack box is worth over $60. My doctor prescribes a higher dose to keep my costs in check, and I cut them in quarters. (One at a time, and they haven’t lost potency). There’s a specific way I do this and where I keep them. Who else knows my routine? No one. It’s important because if I can take it at the start of a headache, I’m good to go in 30 minutes. So, that’s my first video.
I can think of several ideas to record. If my husband or I were hospitalized and unable to be present to help, this is a tool easily transmitted to staff to help them out. It’s a win-win. What would you record, and when will you do it? Let me know in the comments. I’m always happy to learn from you.
Caregiving can be a challenging time.
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