Be an A+ 🥇🏆 Caregiver: Get Lazier ASAP!

There’s a principle called the 85% rule that came from analyzing the performance of legendary track star Carl Lewis. Find out how it relates to our caregiving in this edition.

Author

Ben Couch
June 03, 2025

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In this edition:

• If You Want to Be An A+ Caregiver, Do LESS!
• 🎥 Carl Lewis and the 85% Rule 🎞️ 
• ☑️ Are You Ready to Give Care Like Carl Lewis Runs? ☑️
• Caregiver’s Corner: I’m a Perfectionist Trying to Become an Imperfectionist
• 🌐 Ben’s Best Links for the Week 🌐
• Featured this Week from elumenEd: 🌟 Dementia Behaviors: The Caregiver’s Complete Toolbox 🌟

If You Want to Be an A+ Caregiver, Do Less

I know a lot of caregivers who are going at 100% from the moment they roll out of bed until they roll back into it at night. We’re trying to be our best, and to give our best to others.

But what if that very effort was keeping us from being effective?

There’s a saying that is usually attributed to the Navy SEALS: “slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” They’re talking about combat, but maybe caregiving feels like combat sometimes!

What if less is more? What if we could be better caregivers by slowing down a little? The video below explores exactly what this means. Enjoy!

Track Star Carl Lewis and the 85% Rule

There’s a principle called the 85% rule that came from analyzing the performance of legendary track star Carl Lewis. In the 100-meter event, he was regularly toward the rear of the pack at about the 40-meter mark. So how did he shatter world records and wipe out his competition by the time he got to the finish line? You’ll get the details in this video, and you’ll learn how to take that principle into your caregiving!

streamable.com/ghsl5r?loop=0

Poll: ☑️ Are You Ready to Give Care Like Carl Lewis Runs? ☑️

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Caregiver’s Corner: I’m a Perfectionist Trying to Become an Imperfectionist

Logically, I think most of us can get on board with the idea that nothing and no one is perfect. And yet…

For me, it’s even more difficult when it comes to caregiving, because every mistake I make can directly affect another person, a vulnerable adult.

But I show up, mistakes and all, and I’m willing to risk errors in order to do the most important thing: contributing my presence and attention.

There’s a craft in Japan called kintsugi that perhaps lets us see our imperfections in a different light. It’s the art of mending broken pottery, not so cleanly that you never know it was broken. Quite the opposite.

In kintsugi, the broken pottery is repaired with urushi lacquer that is either mixed with or covered by gold, silver, or platinum. In other words, instead of trying to hide the break, they highlight it.

An example of Japanese kintsugi, the art of repairing broken pottery with golden joinery

This art reminds us that the journey is valuable and the cracks that we repair let us grow and re-form, more beautiful and more valuable than before.

In his song “Anthem,” the late, great Leonard Cohen sings, “there is a crack, a crack, in everything/that’s how the light gets in.”

Can you bring your golden cracks with you? Can you admire how they’ve made you who you are? Your “cracks” have made you wiser. They make you human. They have led you to where you are now, and will carry you into the future. Repair them with gold and cherish them.

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🔗 Ben’s Best Links 🔗 

If you’d like more details on the craft of kintsugi mentioned above or some other ideas about how imperfection can be celebrated, check out these links.

elumenEd's Dementia Behavior bundle contains all of our modules related to understanding and redirecting responsive behaviors like wandering, bathing, aggression, and more.

When you understand how your loved one is using behavior to communicate, a whole new conversation opens up.

SOME OF THE LINKS IN THIS NEWSLETTER ARE AFFILIATE LINKS, WHICH MEANS WE MAY EARN A COMMISSION IF YOU CLICK AND MAKE A PURCHASE, AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU. WE ONLY RECOMMEND PRODUCTS AND SERVICES WE TRUST.

At The Dementia Newsletter, we’re dementia professionals but we’re not medical doctors or lawyers. The information provided is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical or legal advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for medical diagnosis, treatment, or any health-related concerns and consult with a lawyer regarding any legal matters.

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