I’ve recently started writing a quote for the day on the whiteboard I use as an orientation tool for a gentleman I work with.
It’s a simple thing really, just a few words from poets or writers I know he has loved throughout his life.
My aim was to change the focus of the board from being instructional and impersonal, to a more interactive tool that hopefully would encourage engagement and a ‘shared ownership’ of it.
So, alongside the date, day of the week and plans for the day, I’ll write a quote, such as “And now you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” – John Steinbeck.
Each day for two weeks I’ve been searching for interesting quotes and adding them to the top of the board, he reads them with pleasure, often sparking a conversation or recollection of the writer and I have to say it’s a really enjoyable structured part of our day. Proper cognitive stimulation!
As a carer, you come to recognise that the most powerful moments come in the smallest of ways.
Today, he wrote the quote himself.
This was more than just writing
This was Initiative
This was Confidence
This was Independence
This was Identity
Why it meant so much to me
As carers we can unintentionally fall into patterns of doing things for people, even when our intention is kind.
But the real magic happens when we create an environment where a person feels able to do things for themselves. Not because they are pushed, but because they feel safe enough to try.
He wasn’t asked, he wasn’t prompted, he simply chose to take part.
The Quote He Chose
“There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart.” – Jane Austen
How fitting is that? I mean, it’s just perfect!
Tenderness of heart is what care should be built on . Showing up every day with patience and kindness.
Care isn’t only about support; it’s about helping someone hold on to who they are.
And today with a few simple words on a whiteboard, I saw that spark.