Our families, communities and societies are increasingly experiencing extended illnesses, many of which are little understood and have far-reaching effects. Often, the unwelcome journey is heralded by a series of symptoms that are frequently subtle, disarming, and curious. As their frequency increases we become more alarmed and generally begin looking for answers. We often need to knock on a few doors to get an answer that we might be able to accept, begrudgingly, confusedly, with bewilderment, anxiety and/or anger. The diagnosis is a name on a process that generally offers various degrees of the category “usual.” What follows is a continual adjusting to life knowing the diagnosis and sometimes the prognosis, with new symptoms and developments occurring throughout. The course is typically unsteady and precarious to the person living with the illness as well as the primary care partner(s). The health and wellness of caregivers and care receivers is at a higher risk than we’ve experienced in the past, in part because illness is lasting longer and more direct care responsibility is placed on family members who are not trained health personnel. Most of us are unprepared for illnesses that take us by surprise, create a storm in our life unlike anything we have experienced in the natural world, that last years.
marymac missions is aware of the growing needs of individuals, couples, families, communities and societies who are living more with extended illnesses that threaten the physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual, and economic welfare of caregivers, care receivers, and the communities in which they live. We are sharing life lessons which we believe will benefit families starting unwelcome journeys, families in mid-course, and families who are in a process of recovery and renewal.
Extended illnesses are challenging us at every level:
Individuals are living longer with disabling and degenerative diseases that are little known and devastating personally, with losses experienced physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, spiritually and financially.
Couples are journeying together through extended illnesses living daily with the challenges of illness and uncertainty for how long it will last. The illness affects their relationship on physical, mental, social, emotional, spiritual and financial levels.
Families are dealing with extended illnesses differently, some joining together to share the care for a loved one on a distributed basis, some who appoint one primary caregiver to manage all aspects of care, and some who do a little bit of both. The illness affects inter-family relationships on physical, mental, social, emotional, spiritual and financial levels.
Communities are managing extended illnesses differently, with organizations having different levels of awareness and ability to serve the needs of caregivers and receivers. Extended illnesses challenge communities to respond to the physical, mental, social, emotional, spiritual and financial issues that are presented.
Societies are preparing to meet the growing needs presented by extended illnesses that will impact the financial as well as the physical-mental-social-emotional-spiritual health and wellness of each society.
Why We Care
Our families, communities and societies are increasingly experiencing extended illnesses, many of which are little understood and have far-reaching effects. Often, the unwelcome journey is heralded by a series of symptoms that are frequently subtle, disarming, and curious. As their frequency increases we become more alarmed and generally begin looking for answers. We often need to knock on a few doors to get an answer that we might be able to accept, begrudgingly, confusedly, with bewilderment, anxiety and/or anger. The diagnosis is a name on a process that generally offers various degrees of the category “usual.” What follows is a continual adjusting to life knowing the diagnosis and sometimes the prognosis, with new symptoms and developments occurring throughout. The course is typically unsteady and precarious to the person living with the illness as well as the primary care partner(s). The health and wellness of caregivers and care receivers is at a higher risk than we’ve experienced in the past, in part because illness is lasting longer and more direct care responsibility is placed on family members who are not trained health personnel. Most of us are unprepared for illnesses that take us by surprise, create a storm in our life unlike anything we have experienced in the natural world, that last years.
marymac missions is aware of the growing needs of individuals, couples, families, communities and societies who are living more with extended illnesses that threaten the physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual, and economic welfare of caregivers, care receivers, and the communities in which they live. We are sharing life lessons which we believe will benefit families starting unwelcome journeys, families in mid-course, and families who are in a process of recovery and renewal.
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What’s Happening?
Extended illnesses are challenging us at every level: