Tragedies among caregivers are not uncommon as they face immense daily caregiving stress and often lack platforms to relieve stress. Additionally, many caregivers experience emotional and physical strains due to round-the-clock caregiving.
Recognising these challenges faced by members who are both persons with disabilities and caregivers at home, we organised the “I Need to Relax” workshop on 14 October 2023, at the Chan Fuk Sing Resource Centre. Caregivers learned and participated in relaxation exercises to slow down, calm their thoughts, and respond to their emotional and physical needs amidst their busy caregiving routines.
The workshop saw enthusiastic participation from many members. Participants engaged in body stretching exercises to relax different body parts, such as ankles, calves, knees, lower back, shoulder, and neck, relieving pain and tension. The members were deeply involved, with many expressing their intent to continue these exercises at home for potential improvement.
During the workshop, participants also had the opportunity to engage in mindfulness practices in a quiet environment with soft music and dimmed lights, guided by staff, experiencing a forest journey. The rare tranquillity helped everyone calm their minds, observe their bodily responses, and the staff recommended participants to continue such mindfulness practices, reserving 5 to 10 minutes before bedtime to relax and organise their thoughts.
