Sunday, September 23, 2007

The Stress of Caregiving

The Stress of Caregiving
If you give care for a parent, spouse or elderly family member, you are certainly under a lot of pressure and stress. Perhaps you feel guilty because you think you aren't doing enough, and you're frustrated that you can't do more.
You are not alone. Most everyone who provides major care for parents and spouses experience stress and depression. Studies show that long-term stress is not just unpleasant – it can negatively affect your health, well-being, and ability to provide care. The strain of caregiving is so detrimental that statically, 50% of caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer's die before their infirmed spouse or parent. Clearly, when you are caring for others, taking care of yourself and your needs is imperative.
Managing your stress and resolving your caregiving problems will improve your physical and mental health to benefit yourself, your elderly loved ones, and others who depend on you.
How can I do that you may ask? Well one way is to enlist the help of a life coach. My website is in the works and not up yet. But here is an excerpt from it. Besides offering geriatric care managment, I've started a more affordable alternative. For that matter, a more effect alternative in the long run. Its called Caregiver Coaching. Here's the excerpt:
CAREGIVER COACHING
A revolutionary concept for helping caregivers, caregiver coaching unlike geriatric care management, is an affordable support option for struggling or new caregivers.
If you are familiar with ‘life coaching’ then you can easily imagine how Caregiver Coaching works.
Wikipedia.org defines it this way: Life coaching is a practice of assisting clients to determine and achieve personal goals. A coach will use a variety of methods, tailored to the client, to move through the process of setting and reaching goals.

Many caregivers often feel alone in their struggle to care for their spouse or parent, having little contact with people that understand them or what they are going through. With caregiver coaching, they now have a knowledgeable and understanding person that they can turn to whenever they want or need encouragement and informed feedback. A caregiver coach gives you a calm, objective view on your life and circumstances, and even a structured plan for improving it. You may think of a life coach as a knowledgeable friend or companion with no agenda except to help you live your life at the best possible level you can imagine. You can view your coach as a best friend with no problems of their own and a management consultant without a high price tag.
Caregiver Coaching starts with initial interview. The client and the coach get to know one another. We cover everything from you current circumstance to your personal philosophy of life; from your goals or vision, to your limitations. We will help you design your support structure and frame our relationship. It may be that we speak on weekly basis with the option of calling me when you have a need for guidance or just to vent your frustration, or it may daily contact, it’s all up to you. Caregiver coaching has brought many caregivers back from the throws of depression and desperation to a renewed sense of joy and purpose.

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So what do you think? Do you think it can help you? Please contact me. Either here, or a www.caregiverrelief.com or at donahueg@alumni.usc.edu

2 comments:

  1. Hey Don,

    Good Stuff man! Good luck on the launch of the CD. I can see where your vision will improve the lives of those who can really use some help!

    Hugs
    Fred

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great idea. Care giving and dealing with our parents as they age is very stressful. How wonderful to create a place where people can check in. What a great way to combine all your great knowledge Donahue!

    I look forward to your future posts!

    Carol

    ReplyDelete

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