Gary Barg, Editor-in-Chief
Broken Heart Syndrome is a temporary heart condition that's often brought on by stressful situations, such as the death of a loved one. The condition can also be triggered by a serious physical illness or surgery. People with broken heart syndrome may have sudden chest pain or think they're having a heart attack.
Mayoclinic.org
Last weekend, as the nation watched the televised funeral service for Former First lady Barbara Bush; many thoughts turned to President Bush 41 and the possibility of how the loss of his beloved wife of the past 73 years would affect his physical well-being. And just a day after the funeral, he was admitted to the hospital. Was it due to broken heart syndrome? Well, experts dispute whether the syndrome actually exists or is an old wives’ tale based on anecdotal evidence. But supporting our loved ones through emotional challenges is common to all of us.
On Monday, I took a call from a good friend who I hadn’t spoken with for way too long, telling me about his mother. She is in her mid-nineties and has recently developed physical limitations keeping her relatively isolated. She lives among family members; but is depressed, feeling that her life is no longer worth living. She will not talk to a doctor or therapist and refuses to take any more medicines.
As the family works hard to help their loved one, it becomes obvious that one of the greatest challenges we face as we support our loved one’s physical condition is the effect their emotional health can have on their overall well-being.
In fact, helping our loved ones with these challenges can be more daunting than providing support for physical symptoms and limitations, especially since their emotional state so often affects their physical well-being. And when your loved one faces cognitive challenges the stressors of caregiving grows exponentially.
One of the best ways I have found to help a cognitively impaired loved one is to deal with their fears and concerns using Naomi Feil’s Validation Theory. According to her Validation Training Institute’s website “Validation Theory is built on an empathetic attitude and a holistic view of individuals. When one can “step into the shoes” of another human being and “see through their eyes,” one can step into the world of disoriented very old people and understand the meaning of their sometimes, bizarre behavior.
And if all else fails, you can resort to what I affectionately call “Transparent Caregiving.”
Share your thoughts in the comments below