Why do care workers look for 'reasons why they can't'?

It is easy to find 'reasons why you can't'

'User A's legs and lower back are weak, so going out, which they love, is difficult.'
'User B has dementia, so they won't understand even if you tell them.'

In care settings, you sometimes hear words like these.

In this way, people use 'because of X' as a 'reason why they can't.'
But few people look at the possibilities of what can be done.

I sound like I'm being high and mighty, but I, the one writing this, am the same.
I find myself almost drifting away, saying things like 'I was busy today' or 'I'm not feeling well.'

In care, it is also important to consider the user's condition.
If you push too hard, it can lead to accidents or worsen their symptoms.

'Reasons why you can't' and objective judgments necessary for safety are different things.
Drawing that line is very difficult.

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Exploring 'ways to make it possible' is also care work

On the other hand, it is not good to jump to conclusions like 'because of X, it probably can't be done.'

However, this way of thinking is common in care work.
Why?

It is because it is easier to decide that 'it can't be done.'
It means you don't have to look for new methods.

Ideally,

'User A has weak legs and lower back'
'But what can we do to help them go out, which they love?'

'User B has dementia'
'But there must surely be parts they can still understand'

Like this,I think that not jumping to conclusions and looking for 'what lies beyond' is also care work.

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When you are tired, you lose sight of possibilities

Of course, this is very difficult.
It is no wonder that one might think, 'Well, it can't be helped.'

It is easy to call this 'drifting,' but care workers are human too.
They are not always thinking about the users with a positive attitude.

There are days when the day ends with nothing but being chased by care tasks.
There are also days when fatigue builds up and you feel irritable.

When you are in such a state and it comes time to think about the future care of a user, you become unable to look positively at the 'reasons why it can be done'.
As a result, it is no wonder that choices that close off the user's possibilities end up coming out of your mouth.

When people are tired, they are more likely to choose the status quo rather than exploring new paths.
Caregivers are no exception.

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Rest before you blame yourself

To avoid any misunderstanding, I am not condoning caregivers deciding that something 'cannot be done' for a user.
As a care professional, it is important to have an attitude of trying to see the user's potential.

However, I think it is worth remembering that due to labor shortages and the burden on the front lines, you may end up looking at 'reasons why it can't be done'.
If you don't, you may end up blaming yourself, thinking, 'Could I have done more for the user?'

'User A loves going out so much, is this really okay? But if they fall, they will be in trouble too...'

'User B doesn't understand, so it seems like I should just have a casual conversation, which I don't like. But having a proper conversation is hard...'

In this way, in a busy workplace, you get caught between your ideals and the 'reasons why it can't be done'.Therefore, when such conflicts arise, first look at your own condition that is making you decide that 'it can't be done'.

Then, you will realize that this is a struggle precisely because you are thinking about the user.

It is easy to decide that 'it can't be done'.
But that is not your true intention.

On days when only 'reasons why it can't be done' come to mind, it is not that you have lost your care for the user. It may just be a day when your mind and body are tired, and you have lost the leeway to look for 'reasons why it can be done'.

That is why you should rest before blaming yourself.
I believe that rest leads to the strength to see the user's potential.

Thank you for reading this far.
I also thank those who stopped reading halfway through.

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[Book Introduction]
Working in care without pushing yourself too hard
Tips for letting go of 'I have to try harder'

・Care is 'I just need to do my best'
・Things aren't going well because I'm not trying hard enough
・I'm trying hard, but for some reason, it's not paying off
There are many caregivers who work while holding onto such thoughts.

This book introduces ways of thinking to continue caregiving without breaking your mind and body.
You can check the contents and read a sample on the Amazon product page below.