The Savvy Caregiver Program is a training program for caregivers like you. Caregiving is a role far different from being a spouse or child.  Those terms describe relationships. Assisting and guiding someone who is living with a chronic illness is the definition of caregiving. It is work.

The caregiving role has a “job description”. Putting together the tasks, the helping, the cleaning up, watching, worrying, everything make up the caregivers job description. Hiring someone to do what you do isn't truly possible. With enough money you can hire people to do many of your caregiving tasks. However, the caregiver role is more than one person can handle.

Caregiving is a job most of us never expected to have and are untrained to do properly. Lacking proper training leads to stress, frustration and sometimes injuries. Taking care of a person living with a demanding illness like Alzheimer's is specialized work. Doing this work successfully requires special skills and knowledge,  You also need an outlet and attitude that helps you look after yourself.
Why Do I Need Caregiver Training?
Being unprepared for the role of caregiver is common. Lacking awareness of available training or even the need for training is also common. Many family caregivers tackle their role as a caregiver in a way similar to raising children. Unfortunately, this method leads to a lot of stress, frustration and tears. Consider the situation you've found yourself in. Caregiving is likely very different from any other role you have experienced. Seeing, recognizing and understanding that difference are important first steps in appreciating the work you have undertaken as a caregiver.

Most importantly, the Savvy Caregiver Program teaches you how to be a great caregiver. I attended the accelerated version (3 weeks vs 6) this past May. Learning how to be a better care partner to my Mom was a blessing. Taking this training earlier on the disease would have been a huge benefit to my Dad. Between his chronic illnesses and caring for Mom, he had too much on his plate.
What Types of Things Will I Learn In This Training?
Firstly, you'll learn about providing contented involvement.  In other words, successful caregiving comes down to helping the person be as comfortable & involved & happy as possible. Keeping in mind that a person living with a demanding disorder can still:

zero in on a task or activity
stay with it for some time
have a pleasant time doing it

Keeping the person involved and content may help lessen confusion and reduce the chances of distress and difficult behaviors. Determining contented involvement takes practice. For instance, think of Goldilocks trying to find a balance between too much and too little. That is to say, a just right amount.

As a result of taking the training program I learned new ways to approach caring for Mom as she declines further.  Learning that we, as caregivers, are more in charge than we thought was huge.  While we can't control the disease, we can control our reactions. For example. reacting in calm, more understanding ways helps our loved one stay calm. Anyone dealing with someone with Alzheimer's knows that being calm can be a challenge.

Changing our behavior, reactions will change the outcomes of many of our interactions. That's the benefit of becoming a Savvy Caregiver. As a result, our journey as caregivers can be a lot easier.

This is the painting that was discussed in this episode.

 

Learn More About Training Opportunities

Coping & Surviving as an Alzheimer’s Caregiver
Where Else To Find Fading Memories
Be sure to share this podcast with other caregivers! Thanks. You can find us on social media at the following links.  Facebook    Instagram    Twitter

Also, check out our new YouTube channel where you can see us in action!

 

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Sometimes the simple act of breathing, deep breath in and out can mentally give a caregiver space to solve a problem.  Understanding the roller coaster of emotions caregivers go through is our guest, Cyndi. Living with and taking care of her Mom and brother was overwhelming. Cyndi was a stressed-out family caregiver not taking care of herself. (Sound familiar?)
Self-care is a vital component in the overall caregiving journey. I am very reluctant to miss my regular exercise classes or bike rides because I know how I feel when I do. It is not a selfish thing to take time for yourself. Being a good care partner means assembling your support network so self-care isn't neglected.

In addition to exercise I'm in a caregiver support group, I participate in many online chat groups and I talk to many knowledgeable guests. Despite all this, I still struggle. Struggling is part of the journey, unfortunately. However, we don't have to struggle alone. In fact, we should do our best not too.

Gathering your support network is just as important as making sure your loved one has what they need. In fact, it may even be more important. Failing to be able to care for someone because you neglected your own needs is something all caregivers need to avoid.

Tuning in to this episode will give you insights into self-care, challenges in getting help and ways to make it happen.

Alzheimer's Association Support Group Locator

Senior Social Program with Kids Episode
Where Else To Find Fading Memories
Be sure to share this podcast with other caregivers! Thanks. You can find us on social media at the following links.  Facebook    Instagram    Twitter

Also, check out our new YouTube channel where you can see us in action!

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Choosing to embark on an Alzheimer's journey is not one most of us take.  Generally, Alzheimer's chooses us and generally later in life. That is not the case for today's guest, Zach Smith. Zach volunteered at our local Alzheimer's Associations chapter as a way to fulfill a graduation requirement.  At the time his grandmother was already living with Alzheimer's. Therefore, it was a natural place for him to want to volunteer.

During his volunteer time, Zach met his future supervisor. She was in charge of Public Policy for Northern California/Northern Nevada.  Volunteering was not glamorous but it was eye-opening. Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death for seniors in American but got the least amount of research funding. Feeling angry at this financial imbalance  Zach decided to become more involved.
A career In Alzheimer's Policy Advocacy
Congress had passed the National Alzheimer's Project Act which introduced a Secretary position into the office of the National Institute of Health. (The National Alzheimer's Act was introduced in February 2010 & became law in January 2011.)  While volunteering, Zach attended the State Advocacy Day, National Advocacy Forum, and worked with the legislative ambassador volunteers. Consequently, he decided to make a career in policy advocacy for Alzheimer's. Changing the course of the disease for everyone affected in the future was Zach's vision.

Studying health care public policy in college combined with advocacy work made his career vision a reality. While completing his studies Zach was lobbying and participating in the legislative process. Seven months after graduation he started working in the Alzheimer's Associations program department. A year later he was promoted to the public policy department where he's been for  2.5 years.  Zach says it's his pleasure to come to work every day, work with advocate volunteers, and teach them what he did as a volunteer.

Zach teaches that sharing our stories with our elected officials, both state and federal is an important step. This step helps them understand the need for legislation and increased funding. With increases in funding, we will be *that* much closer to a cure.

During the course of this podcast, I've talked to many people whose lives were changed by Alzheimer's. Zach is in a unique category as the youngest person I've spoken to. He has a passion for changing the future of Alzheimer's care. Zach's grandmother would be immensely proud of what he's doing and what he'll achieve.
Changing the Face of Alzheimer's Work
A fascinating side note is an increase in Millennials who are caregivers. Over 10 million Millennials care for someone with Alzheimer's. Sadly, no Google search tells me how many millennials go into policy advocacy but I'm sure it's not high.

Meeting Zach's grandmother would have been something I would have enjoyed. Hearing about her reminds me of my grandmother who also had memory loss at the end of her life. Regular listeners know, we're not sure if it was due an aneurysm or dementia.  Assuming Alzheimer's is my thought because her mother also had dementia at the end of her life.

If you're interested in becoming a state advocate (you don't have to do politics) you can contact Zach at zsmith@alz.org  Working with Zach will be a joy, I promise!

A $10 Million Dollar Ask for Alzheimer's

More info on The National Alzheimer's Project Act
Where Else To Find Fading Memories
Be sure to share this podcast with other caregivers! Thanks. You can find us on social media at the following links.  Facebook    Instagram    Twitter

Also, check out our new YouTube channel where you can see us in action!

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When care providers learn to forgive old hurts they learn to smooth away some of the unnecessary (yet understandable) emotional challenges in their lives. This podcast episode talks about how to do just that in a fun & conversational manner.

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Carlen's story is about a path that emerged in the darkest of hours. In other words, a path that was neither planned nor foreseen. It’s a story about the inner struggles and insights that emerged when he leads Martha and their children through a life-altering quandary.

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