BEMIDJI — For nurses and health care providers, caring for others comes naturally, but caring for themselves can sometimes be difficult.
That hasn’t changed since Alice Thompson started Care Ministries over 25 years ago. Ministry of Care is an annual retreat held in Bemidji with the purpose of providing care to caregivers and helping them renew spiritually.
“Nursing is no joke, it’s very demanding, and I’ve always felt that I have to meet the needs of (caregivers),” Thompson said.
The theme of this year’s retreat is “Called to Care” and will be held on April 25th. All types of caregivers are welcome to participate, including medical professionals, healthcare professionals, professionals, and non-professionals.
“Ministry of Care includes everyone from the hospital to their homes and back again,” said Mary Eaton, one of the event organizers. She said, “It’s an opportunity to take a breather, listen, and share with others.”
That’s what we’ve been doing for the past 20 years, providing a place for caregivers to focus on their needs, find resources, and connect with others with similar experiences.
Thompson, who has been a nurse for more than 60 years, said she came up with the idea while visiting a friend and fellow nurse who was dying of metastatic cancer.
“We spent the weekend laughing, crying, and doing some soul searching. Then, on the way home, it all came to me at once: a retreat for nurses to begin their spiritual rebirth. That’s the thing,” she said.
She named it while still in her car, and after a committee of fellow nurses met, the first Caring Ministry Retreat was held in 1997 with the theme “Love in, Love Out.” It was held.
“As a nurse, I grew up believing that humans have physical, emotional, and spiritual needs,” Thompson explained.
Originally designed by and for nurses, it was soon expanded to include those who care for others. Over the years, the retreat has grown, receiving early support from North Country Health Services and then from Sanford Health.
contributed
We’re also seeing pressures on caregivers change, especially after they return in 2023 after a three-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Nurses and caregivers have been under pressure for years, but (COVID-19) has put even more pressure on them,” said Eaton, whose daughter, who works as a nurse in Minneapolis, is a family member. shared how they helped them say goodbye to their loved ones virtually.
“It was difficult for the family and for her, and it happened over and over again,” she explained. “The trauma that caregivers are experiencing is one of those things that you need to resolve and recognize that you have.”
Eaton added that even after overcoming years of stress, it can be difficult for caregivers to acknowledge the trauma they’ve experienced or take time for themselves.
“Nurses and care workers come into this profession with a very strong moral and ethical compass, but to feel like you have to take a step back and take care of yourself can be very overwhelming. “It’s a difficult mission,” she said.
Ministry of Care is designed to do that by giving caregivers a space that gives them permission to care for themselves and the tools to continue their care.
“Remembering to renew your faith, your emotions, your mental and physical health is not always easy,” said Michele Brielmeier, another organizer. “(Ministry of Compassion) helps children realize how much they are giving to others and how much they need to take care of themselves.”
contributed
One of the main priorities of the retreat is to provide participants with something they can continue to use in their lives to maintain the spiritual renewal that the event hopes to bring.
“We try to provide continuity, like techniques and methods, so it’s not a one-day thing,” Eaton said.
This year’s guest speaker is Linda Czerek, who has a background in nursing and mental health counseling. The retreat will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Bemidji. It is also designed to meet continuing education requirements for nurses.
Registration can be done online through the Ministry of Caring website and costs $90 for general participants and $35 for students.
“This is really based on helping caregivers meet their needs. They are present at sacred times, such as birth, serious illness, and death,” Thompson said. “Caregiving requires a lot of mental stamina and you have to take care of yourself.”
