According to estimates from the National Alliance for Caregiving, during the past year, 65.7 million Americans (or 29 percent of the adult U.S. adult population involving 31 percent of all U.S. households) served as family caregivers for an ill or disabled relative. That is 65.7 million family caregivers who are desperately needing education, training, support and help with finding available resources. We must do a better job as these numbers are increasing drastically with our aging population.
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Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Senior Care Professionals, aging services, Family Caregiver, Training, Family, Caregiver, caregivers, Aging Service Provider, caregiving, family caregivers, parents, aging, families, REVEAL Aging, staff, workforce training, home health
Touch connects humans to each other, reduces stress, and communicates care and concern. Don't we all need a little more of this these days?Compassionate Touch® is an effective caregiving technique that combines expressive touch and compassionate presence. The good- old-fashioned back rub is making its way back to eldercare, reinforcing that touch is beneficial for everyone.
But, let's not stop at the back. Add shoulders, arms and hands, legs and feet, and now we have a powerful caregiving protocol that is easy to learn and so effective.
Eldercare providers need tools that improve the quality of life for those they serve. Additionally, providers need ways improve the quality of the work experience for their employees. I would argue that there has never been a more critical time than now to seek new ways to retain employees.
Compassionate Touch® hits the mark on both counts.
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Topics: Senior Care Professionals, aging services, Caregiver, caregivers, compassionate touch, caregiving, Stress, eldercare, AGE-u-cate Training Insitute, Employees, touch
Dr. Seuss’ book, Oh! The Places You’ll Go! is a gift that is given at special occasions. Usually, it’s suitable for graduation or another momentous event. The reader is given an encouraging review of life’s ups and downs. It makes me think that this book might be a good resource for caregivers and caregiving.
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Topics: Senior Care Professionals, Caregiver, caregivers, caregiving
Technology can support safety and security for elders living in their homes.
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Topics: The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Caregiver, caregivers, Alzheimer's disease, eldercare, Home safety, Technology
Rosalyn Carter once noted that there are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers. Her quote is an accurate assessment of how being a caregiver is a part of our lives, in one way or another. There is a tipping point for becoming a caregiver, and each person can have a different experience with caregiving. Caregiving can be long-term or short-term, depending on the care recipient.
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Topics: The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Caregiver, caregivers, caregiving
People in care can often feel invisible.
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Topics: Senior Care Professionals, Senior Care, Caregiver, compassionate touch, Hospital Professionals, Caregiver Training, Person centered care, touch
Human needs remain intact regardless of age, situation, or condition.
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Topics: Senior Care Professionals, Memory Care, Senior Care, Caregiver, Alzheimer's disease, understanding, alzheimer's, touch
What would life be like if you stepped into the world of a resident in long-term care? Perhaps it would awaken us to the fact that they see things much differently than we do. Maybe it would make us understand their experiences, challenges, and thought processes. Do you think that we might be more empathetic? Gosh, I hope so.
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Topics: Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, dementia, Caregiver, leadership, Hospital Professionals, resident needs
Stress is simply a part of life. Think about each and every stressor that affects our lives almost daily. Here are just a few to think about: traffic, annoying telemarketing calls (what telemarketing calls aren't annoying?), junk mail, the news, job demands, airline delays (let's just airports in general), and the list goes on. Life is complicated, stressful and caregiving is even more so on just about every level. So instead of talking about eliminating stressors, let's talk about how caregivers can put coping skills into practice so that falling into the traps of anxiety, depression and more is eliminated or decreased as much as possible.
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Topics: The Faith Community, AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Caregiver, caregivers, Dementia Live, Stress, older adults, Coping Skills
It is a rare occasion when either speaking to or meeting with family caregivers that I do not have tucked away this invaluable list of signs and symptoms of caregiver burnout to share with them before I leave. My advice to caregivers is to print this list out and place in a plastic sleeve and tape it to your bathroom mirror. Every single day you should be aware of these signs - often that creep in slowly- and zap our ability to cope, quickly leading to caregiver burnout.
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Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Family, Caregiver, caregivers, Faith Community, family caregivers, Caregiver Burnout, Burnout, Public health crisis, Professional Caregivers, Caregiver Stress
