Upcoming Workshop
The Five Love Languages for Caregivers
February 8
North Carolina Baptist Aging Ministry (NCBAM) has been serving NC aging adults 65+ since 2009. A ministry under Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina, the mission of NCBAM is to provide help for journey to aging adults 65+ by connecting them with resources, information, and volunteers to keep them safely and independently at home for as long as possible with a quality of life.
NCBAM developed a workshop on digging a little deeper into understanding the expression of love after reading Dr. Gary Chapman’s New York Times best seller, The Five Love Languages. Two workshops were created to discover just how to best express and receive love as caregivers and as aging adults. On February 8th, the SECU Family House is offering The Five Love Languages for Caregivers workshop.
Discerning the primary love language of another and communicating in that language allows love and concern to be shown most fluently. In this interactive workshop, participants will learn their own primary and secondary love languages. Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, and Physical Touch are all explored in terms of caregiving.
The 5 Love Languages
Participants will learn ways that the principles from the book can be utilized to improve the art of caregiving in any setting. Words of Affirmation may be spoken, written, recorded, or involve simple hand motions. Acts of Service can take advantage of the “ordinary” tasks already performed by helping the care recipient see you serve because you care about them. Saying, “I’m glad I can do this for you,” or simply giving a warm smile can turn a chore into an expression of love. Quality Time involves focused attention on the other person. It is important to remember proximity does not equal quality time. Receiving gifts is not about the monetary value of the gift but for the person who speaks this love language the gift is a tangible communicator of love. One of the beautiful things about the gift, is that, when you are not around the person, they still have a reminder of your love and concern. When speaking the love language of physical touch, caregivers should consider that not all touch is created equal. Touch can be playful, nurturing, or a form of communication. Choosing to use love languages can make a difference in the art of caregiving.
Samantha Allred promotes ministry services for NCBAM in the north central region. She began serving in this position in September, 2017. Allred is a graduate of Appalachian State University where she studied in the Religion and Philosophy department. Her heart for ministry took form when she worked with children at a local Christian summer camp and later as a children’s minister.