SELF CARE

The stress of caring?

Tacit knowledge refers to knowledge that is not easily codified or articulated. Tacit knowledge is a valued personal experience, observation, and practice. In caregiving for elderly adults, tacit knowledge refers to the knowledge and skills developed over time through the caregiver's experiences and interactions with those receiving care.

In The Tacit Dimension, Michael Polanyi said, "we can know more than we can tell." (1966).

This type of knowledge includes, for example, an intuitive understanding of the needs and preferences of the elderly adult, the ability to anticipate and respond to changes in their health or behavior, and an understanding of how to communicate and connect with them in a meaningful way. Tacit knowledge is often gained through hands-on experience and may be difficult to transfer to others through formal training or education. As such, tacit knowledge is crucial to effective caregiving for elderly adults. Caregivers who possess tacit knowledge are often better equipped to provide high-quality care, respond to the needs of the elderly adults they care for in a timely and appropriate manner and establish strong relationships with them based on mutual trust and respect.

Personality changes are often an aspect of tacit knowledge. Tacit knowledge can be valuable because it can help us understand why we behave in specific ways, even if we are unaware of them. By becoming more aware of our tacit knowledge, we can gain deeper insights into our behaviors and motivations and identify patterns hindering our personal growth. Identifying changes and ACCEPTING them may be the best result.

To relax at home, I prefer working on art or design projects. Most times, I am thinking about postcards and travel correspondence. A collage postcard is sometimes more fabulous than a thousand words.