Programs for Families of Seniors

 Program titles  

• How to advocate for yourself and your loved one as a caregiver 

Advocacy in caregiving often means convincing others what you already know is true. Join us for a thought provoking and honest conversation about the emotional, familial, societal and physical aspects of caregiving. We will explore topics such as how to handle imbalances in a family with regards to caregiving, how to give yourself permission to take respite time, how to respond to condescending and clueless comments from others and how to feel you are simply enough as a caregiver. Through an interactive discussion with tangible action items, caregivers will leave feeling refreshed, understood and reflective on how to ensure their needs and the needs of their loved one are met continuously. 

• Building resilience throughout the emotional journey of caregiving

The caregiving journey is fraught with a multitude of emotions, which can overwhelm even the     strongest people. Resiliency is a tool that can aid in managing any situation, person or loss. It is also a mindset. During this interactive and supportive program, we'll explore strategies to build your resilience and enter a paradigm shift where you feel safe and comfortable during the highs and lows of caregiving. We cannot control many of the outcomes of the journey of our loved ones, but we can control our ability to cope. Join us to learn elemental new coping skills and experience appreciation and empathy from others who are figuring our their caregiver journey anew, each day. 

• Engagement Elixir: Enhancing Communication Experiences for people with Memory Impairment 

Conversational savvy is a learned behavior and for many, a lifelong evolution of ingenuity. Conversing with and truly engaging those with dementia and memory related impairment is challenging, particularly for family and friends. Much of the communications towards those with memory impairment tends to be tactical or focused on the support of Activities of Daily Living. Through multiple levels of disease progression, there are strategies to engage even those who've become non verbal, in meaningful relationships. The art of asking questions, sharing meaningful stories and creating sensory experiences isn't inherent, it is learned. Practicing these skills and taking a glimpse into a frustrating but important world, will offer a journey towards comfortable communication strategies for engaging, comforting, redirecting and supporting others. Memory loss does not have to end deep connection, but it does alter ways to sustain it. For those striving to support, start and maintain relationships with people experiencing memory impairment, this programs will provide dynamic strategies to connect while continuing to care. 

• Avoiding caregiver burnout during the holidays: a survival guide

Are you anxious about the holidays instead of looking forward to them? Caring for aging parents or other relatives can add extra stress to holiday preparations and day of celebrations. Add in balancing kids, work, hosting and other obligations and these festive times can overwhelm even the most organized people. We will take an informative and interactive journey into the psychology behind holiday stress, guilt and other changes. We'll discuss immediately implementable strategies to reclaim the joy in the holidays season. 

• Guilt Gone:  A method to trusting your actions and reclaiming your reactions
• There's never going to be a right time: Determining when to move your loved one into a community 
• Sibling Stress: How to deal with absent family
• Grieving Live: Learning to accept a new version of those you love 
• Balancing the role of a caregiver and all of your other roles in life to avoid a meltdown
• Creating your caregiver brand: Define how you want to be known

Goals

Reduce anxiety over the aging process and life changes associated with it such as the transition from independent living to assisted living, a nursing home, or living with relatives
Enhance understanding of common social, physical & emotional changes as relatives age to better prepare emotionally for the future
Learn coping skills and resiliency to handle managing challenging situations with your loved one or those who care for them
Heighten ability to advocate for seniors with caregivers and in a facility to assist them in maintaining both their independence and dignity.  

Themes

Resiliency, Coping Skills, Advocacy, A changing mind and body, recalibrating expectations, and level setting the experience of transitioning a loved one into a care facility  

Details

Programs can range from one to two hours to full or half day workshops and can be customized to include interactive activities and handouts with action plans to take home and begin using. 

Email Lia@aintshesweet.net for more information