HEALTH & FITNESS are giving Ending Passages Follow The Breath Seminar emphasizes the role and challenges of the caregiver. Ruthan Brodsky Left: Linda Kovan Special to the Jewish News W of West Bloomfield, Gentle Transitions, e have more life transi- tions in our 50s and 60s and Diane Ackerman of West than most of us ever Bloomfield, Regent expected, explained cul- tural observer and best-selling author Gail Sheehy, the afternoon keynote Street America Below: Cindy Lucido speaker at the 2010 Caring Coalition Conference. of St. Clair Shores and Rose Fenster of There was a standing-room-only in Congregation Shaarey Zedek's main sanctuary in Southfield March 11 as Huntington Woods, both with St. John Hospice Sheehy described her 17-year care- giving journey with her husband and their battle with his cancer. Presented by the West Bloomfield—based Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy Network and the Caring Coalition, those attending the conference listened while Sheehy described her entrance into what she calls the labyrinth of caregiving. She was in her early 50s and her husband, Clay Felker, founder of Dr. Robert Levine, Ph.D., direc- tor of the Southfield-based Henry Ford Center for Integra- tive Wellness, was very clear in his morning presentation about the importance of taking care of yourself so you can take better care of your patients. He empha- sized the power of the mind and how it can lead to limiting good health or enhancing wellness by increasing or reducing stress. He then led the audience in two breathing exercises to demon- strate there are ways to release ten- sion in the body that can take place at your desk in the office or sitting in a Dr. Robert Levine waiting room with Henry with a patient. Ford Center Levine em- for Integrative phasized the Wellness importance for each of us to recognize our signals of stress so we can make changes in our thinking and know how to relax our muscles. New York magazine, was in his 60s when they were told he had can- cer. Like most new caregivers, she thought the crisis would resolve itself in six months or a year and their life would go back to Gail Sheehy normal. As much as ,2-11 Florine Mark of Weight Watchers Group occasional joy that accompany this journey. As part of her mission to help a generation navigate the emotional and practical sides of the caregiver role, Sheehy was recently appointed care- she was with Jewish Hospice because of its continued support as a resource and for spiritual guidance with her patients. want it bad enough," was the mantra of Florine Mark during her morning pre- Chaplaincy Network. "There is more that can be done. Hospice may not have a cure, but it can create comfort sentation at the 2010 Caring Coalition Conference. President and board chair of the Farmington Hills-based Weight by bringing together an entire network of people who are caring and compas- Watchers Group, Mark centered her remarks on caregivers and what they need to do to take care of themselves. giving ambassador for the American Association of Retired People (AARP). Her book, Passages in Caregiving: them on unpredictable paths that were very different for the couple, who were be on shelves by May 1. so accustomed to being in control. Sheehy's Impact sionate to patients and their families. There is never a time to not make life better." "A labyrinth is unpredictable," says Sheehy, just like the journey of the Rita Winer of Oak Park, a nurse at Troy- based Beaumont Hospice, was very Freedman explained that Medicare does cover hospice when there is a caregiver. "Walking a labyrinth, just like moved by Sheehy's presentation. moving through the twists and turns of long-term care for a loved one, requires patience and faith." "I am grateful that Ms. Sheehy spoke about the burden of the in-between generation of women who are working medical diagnosis that a patient has six months or less to live. Just as she wrote in her history- making books, Sheehy's introspective commentary addressed the funda- mental questions that apply to care- giving and the emotions ranging from fear and loneliness to despair and 50 March 25 • 2010 moms and caregivers for an elderly par- ent or a spouse," Winer said. "Very few people address the concerns and needs of this group who are more numerous than we see." Winer also reported how impressed Making Her Mark "The worst words that we can hear are, 'Sorry, there's nothing else we can do,"' says Rabbi Bunny Freedman, director of the Jewish Hospice & she knew about life's passages, she had no idea that the next years of her life with her husband would take Turning Chaos into Confidence, should recover after a few months in hospice, we still follow the patient and their fam- ily to provide services." "Jewish Hospice is not governed by Medicare rules," says Rabbi Freedman. "We are a community-supported orga- nization that provides support to Jews in the metropolitan area during the last part of their life. For example, someone may call for our help before a patient is eligible for Medicare. Even if they "You can do anything you want if you Many found her presentation inspira- tional as she related her personal story of how she went from an overweight woman with low self-esteem to become an active, healthy person who leads one of this country's largest weight-loss companies while learning to love and respect herself and enjoy life. She shared her morning routine in which she looks at herself in the mirror and says, "Florine, you have two choic- es: to be happy or not to be happy.' Then I ask myself, 'What can I do today to make me happy?"