Understanding Yourself as a Caregiver: What Do You Need to Keep Going? Identifying Strengths & Limitations AND Learning to Believe in Yourself!

It’s Like Putting Together a Jigsaw Puzzle What is your life experience with care? Who are you personality-wise? How do you learn new information best? What is your relationship to the person? What is the environment of care? Where in the progression of the condition is the person? What are the resources available?

Personality Traits Who are you? Introvert-Extrovert Lots of Details – Big Picture only Logical – Emotional Planning ahead – Being in the moment Who is the person you are trying to help?

Life Experience Talents & Skills Previous and Current Careers or Jobs Volunteer Activities or Hobbies Other Caregiving Roles Care Receiving Roles Helping & Support Roles Knowledge about the Medical Community Exposure to Dementia Knowledge about ‘Aging’ Issues

Introvert - Extrovert Introvert Likes to be alone Likes to think it out Likes personal space Needs alone time Private Extrovert Think out loud Talk it out Seek out people Share a lot Not good with boundaries

Details – Big Picture Details Lots of facts and figures Specifics of what to do Likes to get going - doing Big Picture Likes to know WHY Likes to think about it before doing anything Likes to hear the big plan

Logical - Emotional Logical Head First Fair Reasonable Rational Emotional Heart First Nice Kind Empathetic

Planning Ahead – In the Moment Planning Ahead Aware of the future Sets priorities - plans Likes routines Likes a schedule Likes to do things as planned Needs to be in CONTROL In the Moment Being flexible Go with the flow No forward thinking Running late Putting other things off GO WITH THE FLOW

Learning Preferences We are all smart in different ways Its not about if you are smart, it about HOW you are smart! You learn best if your preferred learning style is used! If you know, you can ask for what you need!

Multiple Intelligences (how do you learn?) Verbal/Linguistic (word smart) Spatial/Visual (picture smart) Logical/Mathematical (number smart) Bodily/Kinesthetic (body smart) Musical/Rhythmical (music smart) Interpersonal (myself smart) Intrapersonal (people smart) Naturalistic (nature smart) Existential (big picture smart)

Verbal Linguistic Learners Like words, reading, stories Uses handouts, case studies Books and journaling may help

Memory Loss Losses –Immediate recall –Attention to selected info –Recent events –Relationships Preserved abilities –Long ago memories –Confabulation! –Emotional memories –Motor memories

Visual Spatial Learners Like pictures and movies Try short videos, graphics and pictures Organized handouts Charts and graphs

Memory Loss Losses –Immediate recall –Attention to selected info –Recent events –Relationships Preserved abilities –Long ago memories –Confabulation! –Emotional memories –Motor memories

Logical/Mathematical Learners Like to think about problems and figure things out Like to be asked questions, needs to get to answer

Memory Changes… So, what will work better – –Ask about what happened this morning OR -Talk about her wedding day 50 years ago -Point out that she hid her own purse OR - Recognize it is missing and she is upset about it & we need to do something about it

Bodily/Kinesthetic Learners Like to handle objects while learning Like to practice and do things

Musical/Rhythmic Learners Like music singing, rhythm Use poems, songs, rhymes

A Positive Approach (To the Tune of Amazing Grace) Come from the front Go slow Get to the side, Get low Offer your hand Call out the name then WAIT… If you will try, then you will see How different life can be. For those you’re caring for!

Interpersonal Learners Like talking and sharing with others Use group activities, discussion

Intrapersonal Learners Like thinking to self Use independent projects

Naturalistic Learners Likes categories, groupings of info Likes working with animals, plants, nature Gets patterns and differences

Existential Learner Likes to hear about and ‘see’ the BIG PICTURE Relates new learning to theories and other real world experiences

Most people are…. Really good at THREE intelligences OK at THREE intelligences Not good with THREE intelligences

Using Multiple Intelligences Know your own preferences Identify the types of learners you work with Integrate strategies

Your Relationship What is your history? Who had what roles? Who else was involved? Who else might you act like, look like, or sound like? What is changing? How much?

Environmental Considerations Place & Space Location Sound Lighting Privacy Security Equipment Furniture & Appliances # of People Around Safety Access Use-ability Hide-ability

Current State – Care Receiver What is the level of impairment? What are the behaviors? What support is needed? How willing is the person? How aware is the person? Who else knows? Who else can/will help?

Resources Money Time Energy Skills Space & Place Services & Programs People Equipment Training Support Groups Advisors – medical & legal & financial Agencies or Organizations

Believe in Yourself Acknowledge your skills and talents Recognize your limitations Explore what is needed Look for the matches Identify the missing pieces Decide on what to do Decide on what NOT to do Get help for what is needed Be GOOD to yourself!