Accessing Caregiver Support Networks
04/14/20 • 26 min
Thank you for joining us for our inaugural episode! Over this first season, we’ll focus on caregiver wellbeing. How getting the support you need is vital. Why good communication with family members and medical professionals can be difficult, but rewarding. We’ll share some essential tips on how to look after yourself and you’ll hear stories from caregivers who have spent a great deal of time and energy living these experiences. These inspiring people will bring balance to caregiving along with the other aspects of your life.
Today, we take a look at how few of us can “go it alone” as caregivers. Having relationships with friends or organizations can boost your emotional strength for the marathon of caregiving. We’ll examine different sources of support available to caregivers, how to overcome challenges that prevent you from reaching out for support, and what it is like to really acknowledge your role as a caregiver. You’ll hear from caregivers who struggled with overwhelm before reaching out to access different kinds of support and the difference it made to their lives.
Highlights
- 2:05 What is a caregiver?
- Only 42% of caregivers self identify as a caregiver.
- 3:55 The emotional work of caregiving.
- 5:38 The rewards or benefits for caregiving.
- Being an advocate - speaking on the care receiver’s behalf, not for them.
- Caregivers need to access support to be a good advocate.
- How to cope with caring for multiple people by sharing information with others.
- Acknowledging that you need help and educate yourself to be a better caregiver.
- Most people who come into the caregiving role are not trained for it.
- 15:52 How support services can normalize what it is to be a caregiver.
- 16:35 The benefits of a support group for caregivers.
- Connect with others as if you’re part of a neighbourhood.
- 19:00 How attending a support group meeting can leave you feeling with less weight on your shoulders.
- 20:44 How to ask for help and how to accept support.
- Know the importance of yourself; the healthier you are, mentally and physically, the better you will be able to care for someone else.
Quotes
“The more you open yourself up to communication with support groups, to support network, the more you think yes, you know, I guess you are right, I am a caregiver.” - Marlene
“I acknowledged, I need help. It's also very difficult for a caregiver to take that first step, thinking that it's for themselves because I don't need any help. But if we can share with them that the more you learn, the more information you have, the better you're going to be as a caregiver.” - Marlene
“Caregiving; it's not something they were trained for. It's something that's just come their way or they felt compelled to become a caregiver.” - Ben
“It takes caregivers to participate in community and it also takes people to offer that community to the caregivers. If everyone's doing their piece, then caregivers can feel held by community.” - Jodie
Links Mentioned In the Episode
The Change Foundation. For a brief summary, see Spotlight on Ontario’s Caregivers.
Spotlight on Ontario's Caregivers report – November 2018; page 15.
Caregiver Support Line, Toll-Free in BC, 1-877-520-3267.
Connect With Us!
Family Caregivers of BC Website
Visit us at our office: #6 – 3318 Oak Street, Victoria, BC V8X 1R1 Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30am and 4:00pm.
Telephone: (250) 384-0408 Toll-Free Line Within BC: 1-877-520-3267 Fax: (250) 361-2660 Email: [email protected]
Thank you!
BC Ministry of Health - Patients as Partners Initiative
Thank you for joining us for our inaugural episode! Over this first season, we’ll focus on caregiver wellbeing. How getting the support you need is vital. Why good communication with family members and medical professionals can be difficult, but rewarding. We’ll share some essential tips on how to look after yourself and you’ll hear stories from caregivers who have spent a great deal of time and energy living these experiences. These inspiring people will bring balance to caregiving along with the other aspects of your life.
Today, we take a look at how few of us can “go it alone” as caregivers. Having relationships with friends or organizations can boost your emotional strength for the marathon of caregiving. We’ll examine different sources of support available to caregivers, how to overcome challenges that prevent you from reaching out for support, and what it is like to really acknowledge your role as a caregiver. You’ll hear from caregivers who struggled with overwhelm before reaching out to access different kinds of support and the difference it made to their lives.
Highlights
- 2:05 What is a caregiver?
- Only 42% of caregivers self identify as a caregiver.
- 3:55 The emotional work of caregiving.
- 5:38 The rewards or benefits for caregiving.
- Being an advocate - speaking on the care receiver’s behalf, not for them.
- Caregivers need to access support to be a good advocate.
- How to cope with caring for multiple people by sharing information with others.
- Acknowledging that you need help and educate yourself to be a better caregiver.
- Most people who come into the caregiving role are not trained for it.
- 15:52 How support services can normalize what it is to be a caregiver.
- 16:35 The benefits of a support group for caregivers.
- Connect with others as if you’re part of a neighbourhood.
- 19:00 How attending a support group meeting can leave you feeling with less weight on your shoulders.
- 20:44 How to ask for help and how to accept support.
- Know the importance of yourself; the healthier you are, mentally and physically, the better you will be able to care for someone else.
Quotes
“The more you open yourself up to communication with support groups, to support network, the more you think yes, you know, I guess you are right, I am a caregiver.” - Marlene
“I acknowledged, I need help. It's also very difficult for a caregiver to take that first step, thinking that it's for themselves because I don't need any help. But if we can share with them that the more you learn, the more information you have, the better you're going to be as a caregiver.” - Marlene
“Caregiving; it's not something they were trained for. It's something that's just come their way or they felt compelled to become a caregiver.” - Ben
“It takes caregivers to participate in community and it also takes people to offer that community to the caregivers. If everyone's doing their piece, then caregivers can feel held by community.” - Jodie
Links Mentioned In the Episode
The Change Foundation. For a brief summary, see Spotlight on Ontario’s Caregivers.
Spotlight on Ontario's Caregivers report – November 2018; page 15.
Caregiver Support Line, Toll-Free in BC, 1-877-520-3267.
Connect With Us!
Family Caregivers of BC Website
Visit us at our office: #6 – 3318 Oak Street, Victoria, BC V8X 1R1 Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30am and 4:00pm.
Telephone: (250) 384-0408 Toll-Free Line Within BC: 1-877-520-3267 Fax: (250) 361-2660 Email: [email protected]
Thank you!
BC Ministry of Health - Patients as Partners Initiative
Previous Episode
Trailer
Welcome to “Caregivers Out Loud”, powered by Family Caregivers of British Columbia, hosted by Jodie McDonald.
We’ll explore how the role of a caregiver can be rewarding, but also that it’s emotionally, psychologically, and physically taxing. Through sharing these stories, we’ll bring you perspective, connection, and ensuring that you have support and balance by inspiring caregivers, out loud.
Subscribe now on your favourite podcast listening app to be notified when the first episode will be available in April 2020.
Next Episode
Speak Out With Courageous Conversations in Caregiving
Caregiving brings all sorts of challenges that call forth growth, and communication can be one of them. In today’s episode, we hear about why good communication with family members and healthcare providers is so important, and often difficult for caregivers. In your role as caregiver, you have to speak up for the needs of the care receiver as well as your own. You need to think about the future and what is in everyone’s best interests. This can be especially tough within families.
Highlights
- How bringing the conversation to families prior to when the caregiving starts, can be a potential growth experience for the caregiver.
- 2:27 The impacts of being a surrogate parent to a younger sibling when a child becomes a caregiver.
- 4:24 Establishing a relationship with at least one health care provider who is able to see the evolution of stress and burnout in the caregiver.
- Why it’s important for the health care provider to not only deal with the patient’s medical issues, but also the caregiver’s feelings. It's up to the caregiver to allow themselves to be seen in that vulnerability.
- 6:15 How caregivers frame the need for more home care support and what that really means.
- Early conversations with health care providers can build continuity and provide the support needed.
- How the model of care is changing in North America to provide support for caregivers.
- The important role that caregivers play in changing the healthcare system.
- 12:46 Strategies for caregivers to be more effective at communicating to health care providers.
- Navigating the health system tops the list neck and neck with family conflict.
- Advocacy for caregivers and health system collaboration to change how the health system is working to improve it.
- How impactful it can be if caregivers are able to voice their own feelings and needs as a caregiver.
- Celebrating caregivers with Caregiver Month.
Quotes
“You have to be able to expose your own vulnerability so at least the healthcare provider can pick up on it. But you also need to be able to connect that to the provision of health care that the patient is no longer being able to receive from this exhausted caregiver.” - Dave
“The family friend caregivers, who the care recipient says it is, that experience is different and distinct from the patient voice. They're not one in the same. Our work is to bring forward that voice that is unique. A family caregiver role is unique. So if you're discussing anything about that role, it's got to be that voice.” - Barb
“The steep learning curve that comes with being a caregiver can really take you by surprise. Trying to get the answers and care you are looking for and figuring out how to communicate with medical staff - it’s like learning a foreign language.” - Jodie
Links Mentioned In the Episode
Connect With Us!
Family Caregivers of BC Website
Visit us at our office: #6 – 3318 Oak Street, Victoria, BC V8X 1R1 Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30am and 4:00pm.
Telephone: (250) 384-0408 Toll-Free Line Within BC: 1-877-520-3267 Fax: (250) 361-2660 Email: [email protected]
Thank you!
BC Ministry of Health - Patients as Partners Initiative
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