6 How can time for conscious perception be organised?

How can time for conscious perception be organised?

Time for conscious awareness training can be a helpful tool for coping with loneliness together, and can also find its place in care.

By consciously perceiving thoughts and behaviour, feelings of loneliness can not only be recognised but also dealt with.

When providing care, it is important to be able to activate your own appreciation and mindfulness for yourself and those in need of care. Self-care (see UK NRW 2024) is a decisive factor in staying healthy and being able to carry on in day-to-day caring - awareness exercises can also be helpful for this.

Image: 1045373 (Pixabay)

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Perception encompasses all our senses: senses, touch/feeling, smell, sight, taste

Image: AlexanderStein (Pixabay)

Conscious perception in the home care situation

People who care for others gain a direct insight into their private, family and social environment. They may even be able to recognise causes of isolation or loneliness by learning which other contacts are being maintained and which have been lost.

Caring for others also offers the opportunity to notice moods and behaviours that people would not notice without regular contact.

The following questions can help you to consciously perceive the care situation when you come to the cared-for person's home:

• What impression does the flat make? What does it look like, what does it smell like, what noises do you hear?
• How is the cared-for person's health, does he or she complain of pain today? How does the person look today (compared to usual)?
• What is the general mood? Is the mood good, bad or getting worse?
• Are there any perceptible differences from one visiting day to the next?
• Does the person in your care feel better when you come? Do you feel welcome?

Questions to cared-for persons & joint activities for conscious perception

In care, you can build on the fact that regular contact builds trust - the more often the encounter takes place and remains a positive memory, the more the person receiving care will allow and reveal about themselves. However, a person should not be overwhelmed with questions. If there is no response, it is sometimes better to "just" be there!

You can either ask specifically about loneliness or - which can help with this taboo subject - ask more about socialising.

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• When do feelings of loneliness arise in everyday life?
• What makes you sad, what do you miss (in contacts or relationships)?
• Where does the person want support? (In maintaining relationships or keeping in touch)

You are welcome to answer these questions together during the discussion. You can also share your perceptions and feelings. This can encourage you to take a closer look or listen (consciously perceive) and to open up in conversation.

A conversation is not the right way for everyone - even simple joint activities open up conscious perception.

Get to know a few examples of how time can be spent together for conscious awareness:

Cooking together

Household activities can also be used to consciously train perception: How does combing your hair feel? How do ingredients smell and taste when cooking?

Viewing photos / photo albums

Memories of pleasant contacts and relationships can be evoked and consciously perceived through images. With whom did you have meaningful experiences? Who could be contacted again to talk about the "rediscovered" shared photo?

Play games

Entertaining games offer the opportunity for conscious memorisation through various sensory perceptions: How do playing cards feel in the hand? What does the throw on the table sound like? Who has played this game before? Who could be invited to play this game again?

Listen to music

Consciously listening to music can awaken both memories and feelings: How do you feel when you hear these sounds? How do the sounds change your posture or facial expression? Who have you listened to this music with?

Read aloud

Stories are often about encounters and relationships that can consciously recall your own experiences. With whom was something similar experienced? Who might like the story? Who could you tell about it?

Picture: Ralf1403 (Pixabay)

Conclusion

An upward spiral out of loneliness can be achieved through new perceptual routines.

Reliable relationships and the creation of a shared everyday structure can provide a way out of loneliness in the care context. Letting someone look after you and, at best, consciously looking after you yourself, strengthens beneficial perceptions of contact and a successful relationship with yourself.

A good everyday structure, in which time is given for conscious perception, can help against loneliness.

• Sometimes routines are lost, for example when a partner passes away or the place of residence changes (due to caring responsibilities).
• Finding new everyday structures can be helpful when someone hardly knows how to pass the time.
• Consciously organising everyday tasks can provide orientation, but also enable a conscious perception of life.
• Special activities or encounters can reinforce the resulting downward spiral, in which people gradually become more successful in their everyday lives.