Caring Together! Practical tips for sharing caregiving responsibilities with your siblings and other family members

Objectives This session will help participants understand: The importance of asking for help Challenges associated with caregiving as a family Strategies for sharing caregiving duties among family members

Primary Caregiver 1. In most caregiving situations there is typically a primary caregiver- one person who is responsible for the care of a loved one or friend with a health challenge. This person takes charge of the day to day care of the care-recipient and coordinates services and resources. “Go to” person for the care-recipient and healthcare professionals. This is usually the family member. Interview Questions: 1. What is the typical caregiving situation?

Common Caregiving Situations 1.Adult child caring for an aging parent Spouse caring for husband or wife Grandparent or parent caring for a child Review stats: The National Alliance for Caregiving estimates that twenty-one percent (21%) of the US population are caregivers. In Bexar County, there are 326,674 caregivers; 22,797 are older persons caring for an older loved one, and 15,075 are grandparents raising grandchildren. The Texas State Data Center has projected by 2020 the number of caregivers will increase to 456,319. Interview Question: 1-What are the most common caregiving situations?

Primary Caregiver: Why typically only one caregiver 1.Easier to have one coordinator of services and resources Families may be disconnected due to: -Emotional strain -Geography -History of disputes Primary decision maker (i.e. In the case of a parent to a child) Caregiver may not ask for help due to reluctance, fear or guilt. Interview Question: 1.Why is there typically one primary caregiver?

The impact of culture on caregiving 1. Different cultural or religious traditions systems evolve different value systems on who is responsible for caregiving. Different value systems: -Insistence that caregiving is the responsibility of the daughter, mother or another woman. -Caregiving must take place within the family and it’s not appropriate to seek outside help. -Distrust of the health care system Interview Question: 1. How does culture affect who is deemed suitable to provide care?

Family Composition 1. Structure of the family often dictates how caregiving is undertaken. Influencing factors: -Family size -Physical proximity of family -Number of siblings -Insulated or extended families Interview Question: 1. How does the composition of the family affect who will provide care?

Family Dynamics 1. How the family interacts often affects who will provide care: Sex or Birth roles Strengths and weaknesses of family members History of family conflict Personality matching Family expectations of certain behaviours from certain members Money/Power Interview Question: 1. How does the relationship among family members affect who will provide care?

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT THAT THE FAMILY BE INVOLVED 1. Primary caregiver is susceptible to burnout, stress and emotional and physical problems Important to have different points of view on the care of a loved one-especially important transitional events (ex: placement) Good for the morale of the care-recipient- sense that there is a network of support around them Divide and conquer Interview Question: 1. Why is it good to have the broader family involved in caregiving?

Engaging other family members 1. Strategies to get other family members involved: Bring the family together in anon threatening environment to discuss the situation- use a mediator if there has been communication challenges in the past Let your family know that you can’t do it alone- they may be assuming otherwise Devise a care plan and give each member of the family the responsibility of some aspect of care (ex: One takes care of medical appointments, the other finances, etc.) Interview Question: 1. What are some tips or strategies that a primary caregiver can use to get the family involved?

Challenges of Caring as a Family 1. Caring for a loved one as a family may prove challenging at times: Disagreements about important our touchy issues (ex: wills and testaments) Life changes that affect the dynamics of care (ex: someone gets a new job and they can’t do a certain task anymore) Personality clashes or emergence of old family issues (ex: sibling rivalry) Difference of perceptions Interview Question: 1. What are some of the challenges of caregiving as a family?

Working Through Family Challenges 1. Strategies to work through conflicts arising from caregiving as a family: Always identify one family member who coordinates all the others and ensures regular communication. Keep everyone in the loop. Accept everyone’s limitations- some family members may not be able or willing to do certain tasks. Accept that certain family history problems will hinder cooperative care (ex: emotional or physical abuse) Make sure that everyone’s point of view is heard. Find time as to celebrate each other and your accomplishments as a family. Interview Question: How can you work through some of these family challenges?

Improving Communication among Family Members 1. How you say it may be more important than what you say Set yourself and your family members up for success If at first you don’t succeed, try another method You can’t change anyone no matter how “right” you do it Interview Question: How can you work through communication challenges among family members?

Conclusion Q&A session: Ask caregivers to share their experience a s a primary caregiver and how they have been able or unable to get their family involved. Summary: Highlight key points from session including feedback from caregivers. Promote: Encourage caregivers to participate in next tele- session Thanks to all attendees and speakers.