WOODBRIDGE, Va., May 23, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Family caregivers now encompass one in five
Americans. Sometimes, the more mobile and lucid the loved one being
cared for is, the more difficult it can be to work through their
caregiving problems.
"Creativity plays a crucial role in caregiving and they key is
to think outside the box," says caregiver advocate Pamela Straker, who holds a doctorate in
psychology and is the author of Heroic Caregiver: An Anthology
of Lessons on Resilience, Coping and Laughter (2024, Indie
Books International)
To research the book Straker solicited caregiver stories from
various sources, including those caring for the elderly, dementia
and cancer patients, and those with other degenerative diseases.
The book is a compilation of real-life stories from real-time
caregivers.
"Caregivers may worry about not knowing how to handle every
situation, but the truth is, even the most experienced caregivers
can be perplexed at times," says Straker. "Often, our solutions are
discovered in the moment."
Recognized as one of the most prominent voices for caregiver
advocacy, Straker is an award-winning keynote speaker, bestselling
author, and leading authority on mental health and wellness.
Leveraging over 20 years as a caregiver and 30 years as a
practicing psychologist, Straker influences audiences with her
mission to destigmatize mental health conversations. She trains
individuals, corporations and organizations worldwide on how to
have greater clarity, a new way of thinking and a sustainable plan
for assuming the role of a caregiver.
A significant number of family caregivers in the United States are also employed. According
to data from the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, 62% of
family caregivers were employed while caring for someone over age
50. According to the Caregiver Action Network, about 14% of family
caregivers are in a managerial or executive position within their
company. This percentage highlights the significant role that
caregivers play not only in their families but also in their
professional environments.
For this reason, leaders and their employees must recognize this
as a significant issue for their workforce, themselves and, for the
good of their companies, develop ways to provide support. It is
important for leaders and their employees to understand what
caregivers experience.
Straker's work led her to conceptualize four pivotal care-giving
points experienced by heroic caregivers as they begin the journey
with those they care for:
Answer The Call To Become A Caregiver. First, recognize
help is needed.Tasks that were previously accomplished without
difficulty become laborious or impossible for loved ones to
accomplish. Sometimes, you see it, but at first, you don't focus
until perhaps an outstanding event cannot be ignored. You may come
to realize your loved one is in real danger.
Acknowledge Your Emotional Reaction. In recognition of
the required change in the observer role—moving from "observer" to
"caregiver"—many feelings may be experienced. The feeling of being
overwhelmed or numbed may be felt, though not necessarily
expressed, as the first emotion. Following this, various feelings
may appear as the new role and its requirements emerge: anger,
loss, fear, sadness, joy, and more.
Develop The Caregiving Plan. This includes your own
self-care/resource review. Developing a plan for the current
caregiver should be considered a priority. Regardless of the plan's
focus (person receiving care or caregiver), the caregiver's need
for self-care should be included.
Implement The Caregiving Plan. Special considerations
include the following: Is the person for whom you are providing
care capable of participating in the implementation? Are they able
to state any realistic preferences they may have? What if aspects
of the plan don't work? What is the timeline for implementing the
plan?
"Sometimes, other family members do not have the ability to make
a plan and implement it as well as the heroic caregivers can," says
Straker. "Implementation often requires the caregiver to be in good
health, live in the same general area, and have the time and/or the
resources to offer the full-time task of caregiving. Things become
much more difficult when the caregiver has health issues."
Even with the most focused caregivers, it is possible to be
distracted or stressed by responsibilities for those being cared
for. Caregivers need to balance caring for their loved ones with
making certain they care for themselves. Sometimes, this is not
such an easy task.
Straker notes that often, laughter helps. She says "Finding
humor in what can become trying circumstances is required for
caregiving. When humor no longer softens a particular situation,
patience and attention to detail are needed."
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SOURCE Pamela Straker