caregiver's circle

The caregiver's circle is the newest chapter in the life of When the Table Turns. It is a monthly conversation between caregivers and others who are interested in the kinds of topics written about on this site. Meeting by conference call and free of charge, it is open to seasoned or novice caregivers, people interested in aging or ageism, people interested in writing, or people who want to carve a new path to a brighter future of elder care. It is not about expert advice. It is more about not knowing than knowing. All that is asked is that everyone who joins this conversation comes with a willingness to listen from the heart and be open. The rest will take care of itself.

WE ARE BREAKING FOR THE SUMMER. SEE YOU IN THE FALL.
REACH OUT if you want to join our fall conversation

Purpose

While this meeting is not meant to be a support group, it is our hope that everyone who participates will feel deeply supported and rejuvenated. We are primarily interested in the spiritual journey of caregiving and the often unseen and unacknowledged gifts that arise in caring for a loved one, wherever they may be in the spectrum of age and dementia. The meeting will be guided by two friends, Andrea Hurley and Judy Fox, founders and writers of "When the Table Turns."

Through our talks together and through listening fully and deeply, the caregiving experience can be transformed from heaviness to lightness, burden to joy and exhaustion to restoration—while not denying in any way the enormous challenge of the experience. The goal of this gathering is to create an open field where we can explore important questions and leave at the end of the call with a lighter heart.

No matter how long we have been involved in caregiving, none of us are ever experts. We are all on a journey which is forever changing. Our experience is both uniquely our own and simultaneously similar to the experience of others. There is so much that goes on inside us that is often unexpressed or barely acknowledged. Our virtual gathering is a chance to bring all this out into the open and discover what can unfold together.

We look forward to being together with as many of you who feel drawn to join us.

Some of the topics we discuss:

When the table turns: awakening to big changes in our loved ones
What does it mean to be a caregiver? How have I changed and what have I learned?
Coming to terms with loss and death
Letting go: An essential part of the caregiver's life
Slowing down and turning in: Listening from the inside
Transformation and growth: How caregiving changes us
Decision making: Assisted living, medication, medical treatments etc.
Transition: From living at home to living in an assisted community
Could I have done more? Having (and growing) a big heart
Our parents, past and present: Having a new and different relationship with them
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia – how we relate to this?
Our relationship to aging: The aging process, the elderly, and ourselves
Our relationship to caregiving / our relationship to life: What does it look like to have a positive relationship to both?
The place of refuge and renewal in the life of a caregiver: Where do we find that?
Emotional Resiliency: Where do we find the strength?
Shining a light on love & gratitude through caregiving
Mother/daughter relationship: How this changes as we all get older
Writing about the caregiving experience

Logistics

You will receive an email after you RSVP with more information and call-in instructions.

Costs

There is no cost to participate. We feel that caregivers give plenty already.

Bios