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Caregiving can be exceedingly tough at times. The long-term emotional well-being of a caregiver often decreases as the disease progresses, care needs increase and care duration increases.
Roughly 1/2 of caregivers have problems that they cannot resolve alone and approximately 1/3 avoid or ignore problems entirely. These situations results in poor care and poor quality of life for everyone. It is much better to seek help. Our Care Support services provide personalized help.
The best care requires a healthy caregiver, who is ready, willing and able to meet all of the challenges that occur. Having a team and a system is important, but there will be times when additional individualized support is needed.
Our Care Tools and our Care Support services address team and personal needs:
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- team approach
- focus on multiple needs
- organize caregiving
- improve overall care outcomes
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- personal support
- focuses on specific issues
- improves coping
- enhances personal well being
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The impacts of caregiving often create high levels of emotional and relationship stress. Some examples of negative feelings and emotions are:
Feelings and Emotions
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- bewilderment
- worthlessness
- uselessness
- persecution
- imprisonment
- exclusion
- isolation
- panic
- grief
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- denial
- withdrawal
- frustration
- fear
- anxiety
- doubt
- anger
- grief
- depression
- mood swings
- helpless; lack of control
- loneliness
- dreariness
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The causes of emotional stress include:
Stresses (and Sources)
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- confusion due to constant change
- uncertainty about time and place
- loss of self, self-esteem, purpose
- anger at condition, denial
- sadness of loss of familiar life
- frustration at deficits
- fear of
- abandonment
- being controlled
- humiliation
- burden
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- concern for care receiver, e.g. their safety, future, being left alone
- concern for themselves, e.g. feeling trapped, restrictions on freedom, concern for own future
- care responsibility, e.g. burden, exhaustion, isolation, time required
Other sources of stress:
- finances (less income, higher expenses)
- impact on family routines and time together
- impact on work energy and productivity
- sleeplessness
- relationship changes
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We currently offer Personal Counselling and Coaching in Vancouver, Canada, on a fee-for-service basis. Telephone and webcam-enabled internet counselling and coaching are also available. Online group support is under development.
Personal counselling
The Care Tools' resident counsellor, Karen Flood, Ph.D., provides counselling services to improve the psychological and emotional well-being of people impacted by chronic illness and their caregivers. Counselling areas include, but are not limited to:
For persons with Alzheimer's
- accepting the reality of the condition
- externalizing the problem
- alleviating guilt
- self-esteem
- help with social contacts
For caregivers:
- stress reduction, including causes and consequences, personal analysis, coping strategies and an action plan for well-being
- acceptance, understanding, perspective and balance
- motivation
- communication
Long-term counselling wellness programs, based on mentoring and monitoring, are also available.
Dr. Flood's portfolio includes clients, caregivers and families impacted by life-threatening diseases. She has lectured in counselling theory and practice at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Personal coaching
Our personal coaching enables caregivers to overcome individual caregiving limitations and/or achieve superior caregiving results sooner. Coaching can be advantageous to individuals who have limited (or no):
- caregiving knowledge, skill or experience
- time to provide caregiving
- motivation
- organizational, planning or management skills
- team support
- stable care patterns (i.e. constantly in crisis)
Online support group
Rural and urban caregivers have similar needs for support and social interaction. Rural caregivers, however, can be impeded by geography, and caregivers everywhere can be impeded by care demands, from accessing support required to meet personal needs.
Groups online support is available to connect remote caregivers in facilitated discussions. Sesions enable solution sharing, mutual support and social interaction. Discussion groups are small and participants remain anonymous to one another (unless they choose otherwise). Dr. Flood lead groups using her online facilitation experience.
At-home services
Clients who have special caregiving needs at home are invited to contact us for individualized solutions. Please see the About Us section for contact details.
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