One of the most difficult things to deal with in regard to mental illness is the change in behavior of your family member. Your loved one may act in ways that you have never seen before and that are confusing. This is not the person you know. The loved one you know does not act this way. These changes are very discomforting. You don't know how to respond. You miss the person you knew, and could count on to act in certain ways.
Emotional reaction among family members usually follow a series of stages. The first stage usually occurs when your family has to deal with a crisis in which symptoms of mental illness are manifest. Family members can feel overwhelmed and dazed and don't know what to do or where to turn. In stage two, you are learning to cope. This stage often includes feelings of anger, guilt, and resentment. The loss of the family member that you "knew" additionally brings on a deep grief. Stage three moves from the despair to an understanding of the challenges your family member is facing and the courage required to deal with the illness.
Join us for a more in-depth discussion of these stages as well as learning more about the basic facts of various mental illnesses including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorders, eating disorders and schizophrenia.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Caregiver Class
11:30 - 12:30 at Courtyard at Jamestown (lunch and respite care provided)
2:00 - 3:00 pm at the American Fork Library (respite care funds available, if needed)
Monday, November 29, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Hiring, Training and Managing Personal Assistants
Personal assistance services may be one of the important support systems that caregivers have. A personal assistant can give a caregiver a much-needed break, lighten their duties, and give them a chance to do other things. Equally important, it can prevent/postpone a family member from going to a nursing home or other facility and allow them to "age in place" in the comfort of their own home.
Some qualities to look for in a personal assistant are:
Join us at one of the following locations for a FREE class on hiring, training, and managing personal assistants on Thursday, November 18, 2010 and learn much, much more about this subject:
11:30 - 12:30 at Courtyard at Jamestown (lunch and respite care provided)
2:00 - 3:00 pm at the American Fork Library (respite care funds available, if needed)
Some qualities to look for in a personal assistant are:
- Relates well with people and possesses good communication and listening skills
- Has a positive and pleasant attitude
- Good references and at least some experience and/or certification
- Looks beyond any disability to see the person in your loved one
- Respect for your privacy and confidentiality
- A clean and trustworthy appearance
- Has reliable transportation
Join us at one of the following locations for a FREE class on hiring, training, and managing personal assistants on Thursday, November 18, 2010 and learn much, much more about this subject:
11:30 - 12:30 at Courtyard at Jamestown (lunch and respite care provided)
2:00 - 3:00 pm at the American Fork Library (respite care funds available, if needed)
Monday, November 8, 2010
Tribute to Caregivers
During National Caregivers Month, all caregivers deserve a sincere THANKS for all the selfless service that they give! Please know that underneath all the challenges, your loved one appreciates the following attributes you possess:
T: Thoughtful
H: Helpful
A: Always there
N: Nice
K: Kindhearted
S: Supportive
If you can, please treat yourself to one of the following conferences listed in this post and the post from last week below. Respite care and/or funds are available to enable you to attend by calling Aspen Senior Care (801) 224-5910 or Mountainland Department of Aging (801) 229-3814.
FREE to Caregivers!
Utah Hospice & Palliative Care Organization Convention
Tuesday & Wednesday, November 9-10, 2010
9 am - 7:30 pm
Salt Lake Community College in Sandy, UT
Keynote Speaker Matt Townsend MA "Starved Stuff: Feeding the 7 Basic Needs of Healthy Relationships.Several breakout sessions for caregivers on the following topics: Financial Health Care Planning, Stress Management, Rejuvenation for Caregivers, The Ultimate Role Reversal: When Children in Families Become Caregivers, Family Dynamics in End-Stage Caregiving: Counsel from a Family Counselor, Understanding and Deciding When to Engage Palliative and Hospice Care, Saying Good-Bye, Working Together: How Professional and Lay Caregiver Partnerships Can Improve Quality of Life of a Patient or Resident with Advanced Alzheimer's and Dementia. See http://www.utahhospice.org/calendar.html to register. Conference is FREE unless you order lunch at $15/day.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
November is National Family Caregivers Month
Welcome! This week marks the beginning of National Family Caregivers Month and to commemorate YOU as a tireless caregiver, we are launching our Tips for Caregivers blog in your honor. As your Area Agency on Aging, we recognize the love, compassion, and hard work you put forth as your loved one’s caregiver. It is our goal to facilitate a useful forum for relevant information that you can use in your role as a caregiver.
We are here to serve you and your aging loved ones. Many people know us as the “Meals on Wheels” people, and we are so much more! We act as a referral for many community resources and provide various in-home caregiver services. In-home service programs provide a variety of supportive services that allow seniors at risk of being institutionalized to remain home, experiencing greater independence. We also sponsor caregiver support groups, caregiver classes, and weekly e-mails to caregivers that will remind you of the caregiver activities in your area (classes, support groups, conferences, etc). We hope you will visit our website at: http://mountainland.org/care to learn more about all of our programs as well as opportunities to volunteer.
We are here to serve you and your aging loved ones. Many people know us as the “Meals on Wheels” people, and we are so much more! We act as a referral for many community resources and provide various in-home caregiver services. In-home service programs provide a variety of supportive services that allow seniors at risk of being institutionalized to remain home, experiencing greater independence. We also sponsor caregiver support groups, caregiver classes, and weekly e-mails to caregivers that will remind you of the caregiver activities in your area (classes, support groups, conferences, etc). We hope you will visit our website at: http://mountainland.org/care to learn more about all of our programs as well as opportunities to volunteer.
To commemorate National Family Caregivers Month, we hope you will be able to join us at the following events:
FINDING HOPE & HEALING
2010 Caregivers’ Conference
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
3:45 pm – 6:00 pm
Cost: FREE
Utah Valley Regional Medical Center – Northwest Plaza Clark Auditorium
1034 N 500 W, Provo, UT
Keynote speaker: Sue Bergin addressing “Approaching Death.”
There will also be a panel question and answer session and table top displays from several community organizations.
A light meal will be served.
Registration is free, but seating is limited. To register or for more information, please call Intermountain University at 801.357.8735.
Complimentary respite funds are available by calling Aspen Senior Care 801.224.5910.
UTAH SENIOR CARE CONFERENCE
Monday, November 15, 2010
Scera Center, 745 South State Street, Orem, UT
Cost: FREE
8 am: Registration
9 am: Keynote Speaker
9:45 am – 2 pm: Breakout Sessions & Lunch
Breakout Topics will include legal issues and financial resources, effective interaction with your physician, dementia and related issues, community resources, housing and care options, and Veteran Benefits.
Pre-registration is suggested: 801.610.4200
Free lunch for the first 300 attendees who pre-register!
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