Caregiving in the Pandemic Era
Have you played Jenga?
This game is a powerful analogy for caregiving today. The players strategically remove bricks from the Jenga tower of 54 blocks without tumbling the entire game to the ground. The game is great fun. I suspect that architects always win at Jenga. I do not play Jenga with anyone in the construction business due to this inherent advantage.
COVID Feels Like a Jenga Tower
The pandemic consumes how we live today. How safe is shopping or going out to a restaurant? What about doctor offices or hospitals? Jenga reminds us of how we are making important life decisions in the age of pandemics We make a change (remove a brick) and wait to see if we get the virus. However, like the Jenga tower, there is the element of chance or hidden dangers that may undermine even the soundest logic.
Caregivers Live Brick by Brick
The over fifty million family caregivers risk pulling out the wrong bricks. I suspect many caregivers worry that daily activities like dressing and bathing increase the risk of passing along the virus. Even the best decisions can lead to unintended consequences.
Chance or Skill?
Sure, the first five or ten Jenga moves carry a low probability of destroying the tower. Just like Jenga, caregivers are facing increasing risks as they return to work or send their children back to school while they are caring for a vulnerable person. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has clearly identified what each of us can do to reduce our viral spread. However, what is uncertainty increases when the bricks left is our tower is weakened by the actions of the other players and the environment around us.
Credit For Caring is on Your Jenga Team
Your life is the Jenga tower and you are the architect. Knowledge is power. I encourage you to reach out for help from community-based services and your healthcare team. Our team created a tool to help guide you. It’s quick and easy to use. Answer the questions and we will offer you our professional advice. Game on.
