Tag: health

We are celebrating Caregivers the whole month of November! This week we are talking about Self-Care. Let’s dive right in.

DIVING IN: What is self-care? You are a caregiver, and the work you do is very important and very rewarding – but it can also mean your own needs get put last on a to-do list that can seem never-ending. Self-care is everything we do for ourselves that makes us feel relaxed, whole, energized, and rejuvenated. It helps us feel ready to take on what’s next (whatever that is!).

DRILLING DOWN: Why choose self-care? Choosing to take care of yourself means you are able to give keep giving care to others – check out this video that talks about why it’s so important!

DIGGING DEEP: Where to start. Start small, even 5 minutes once in a while, and build up from there. What “works” for self-care is completely individual for each of us. Try lots of self-care options to figure out what works for you! Or, “self-share” if connecting with others is what helps you “self-care”! Here are some ideas:

• try a self-care assessment worksheet, self-awareness or self-care journal sheet, or affirmations for caregivers from this website!
• try a self-compassion guided meditation!
• try a self-compassion exercise!
• try a 3-minute care tip video about self-care!
• try treating yourself to a relaxing experience, like an at-home spa night or a relaxation bubble bath!
• try getting outside, at least once a day!

Try anything and everything until you find what works for YOU! Share your favorite experiments with us in the comments!

We are celebrating Caregivers the whole month of November! This week we are talking about Tools & Training. Let’s dive right in.

DIVING IN: What are tools and training? You are a caregiver, and the work you do is very important and very rewarding – but it can also mean you’re faced with changes and have to respond. Tools and training are the things that can help you respond. Tools and training can be anything from workshops and seminars, to articles and books, to videos and panel conversations, to forms and policies, to templates, plans, and checklists, to strategies and techniques…while it’s impossible to list them all in one paragraph, it’s true that, in a digital age, tools and training opportunities are more accessible than every thanks to think internet.

DRILLING DOWN: Why bother with tools and training? Changes can happen fast, whether it’s the needs of the person you support, your personal situation, or the world we live in — as we have seen this year with COVID-19! It can be stressful and feel overwhelming. One piece of advice to help cope with caregiver stress is focusing on the things you can control – like having a plan or developing skills that support you to respond to unexpected changes when they happen. Tools and training help you to feel prepared.

DIGGING DEEP: How to find tools, and get training. Tools and training are more accessible today than ever before. Which resources and opportunities to pick depends on your individual circumstances. We can often help point you in the right direction, if you ask us! Here are a some examples.

TOOLS:

• for supporting people who have multiple sclerosis, dementia, or cancer
• for sleep quality issues and improvement
• for helping identify compassion fatigue and burnout
• for help tracking mood and managing anxiety
• for online safety and teaching internet safety
• for planning and quality of life inspiration
• for a way to self-manage anxiety using an app
• for focusing on quick, 3-minute care tips

TRAINING:

• in putting on and taking off personal protective equipment, wearing a mask, and handwashing
• in behavioural support and nonviolent crisis intervention (we have certified MANDT trainers on staff!)
• in wills, trusts, estate, and future planning
• in psychological health and wellness, and managing fear and anxiety, in the COVID-19 era
• in relationships between social work, stress and burnout
• in mental health communication skills
• in addressing issues such as self-forgiveness, removing psychological blocks to love, resolving major life dilemmas through videos by William P. Ryan (PhD)
• in a variety of caregiver-specific topics through an archive of monthly webinars (going all the way back to 2010!)
• in over 25 topics featured in “side by side” modules to complete with the person you support

Did you know you can access all of Open Future Learning through CCSS? Let us know you’re interested, and we will set you up!