Funeral directors are not clergymen, and most are not psychologists, although they may have had some training in psychology. However, the great majority are competent to act as counselors to people during a critical time in their lives.
All of us have problems and most problems are treated by laymen (spouses, friends, neighbors) in informal settings. The funeral director's role as a counselor is extremely important. He has certain advantages over specialists in performing some counseling functions; he is at a disadvantage in attempting to perform others.
The funeral director has become a counselor because of circumstances. Some funeral directors feel uncomfortable in the role and would prefer to avoid it. Others accept it as part of their function and even find they have a gift for it. The process is really one of self-selection. The funeral director who seems to welcome issues of grief is probably equipped to deal with them.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Monday, November 5, 2012
DEALING WITH BURNOUT
Sometimes, when a family members take
care of a dying person day in and day out, they experience a kind of
burnout. This is something that the dying person's family must watch
for carefully. Relatives and friends can work with a dying person for
only so long before reaching the limits of their endurance. Just as a
body becomes fatigued, so the spirit can be overexposed to the strain,
worry, and anguish that nursing care demands.
In order to minimize the chances of this
happening, people doing the nursing must learn to pace themselves and to
gauge their limits. If, after long periods of taking care of a sick
person, they observe a tendency toward increasing irritation, or chronic
fatigue, or depression, it means that a pause is in order - a day off, a
quick vacation to clear the head, a change of scenery. It doesn't mean
you care less, only that you want to care for the person in the best
way possible.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)