caregiving

Congratulations on completing the Caregiving Strategies online course! Your dedication is to be applauded for making caregiving all the good things that it can be for yourself and the person in your care. Take some time to celebrate as you have taken a big step to learning more about frailty and complex topics related to […]

During the course you’ve learned new things from the course materials, the resources and videos, and your fellow learners. You now know where to locate information on important topics of concern to you. Perhaps you’ve got some new ideas on a variety of topics, or perhaps you’ve been primarily focused on one aspect of your

I am so grateful to have this resource and new knowledge. If I only had this information earlier in my caregiving, things would have been different for me. Introduction Welcome to the final lesson of the course! This course addressed the growing need for educational support for caregivers. It is now time to pull everything

This module has provided you with information about social engagement, social isolation, loneliness and depression. You are now able to differentiate between those terms and understand how to recognize if a person is at risk of social isolation, if they are experiencing loneliness, and the common signs and symptoms of depression. You are now better

When speaking with health care professionals, it is important to be prepared so that they can provide support by offering recommendations, strategies to try, referrals to other specialists or other forms of assistance. Unfortunately, openly discussing feelings of loneliness or depression is not always easy. Even if your health care professional does not ask about

One of the best ways to encourage social engagement is for the person in your care to participate in activities that they enjoy. Being socially engaged is not about the number of activities or number of people. What matters most is the quality of meaningful activity and social connections made. For example:Some people may enjoy

Isolation There are a number of factors that may increase the likelihood of a person becoming socially isolated. Recognizing social isolation early on and getting support immediately could help avoid feelings of loneliness and depression. Consider the following risk factors: These risk factors can all contribute to a person being alone more often and less

My mom is alone for most of the week other than my visits. Sometimes it is by choice but other times I think she may be feeling lonely. A friend told me that loneliness can lead to depression. Learning about social engagement has helped me understand where I can offer the most help to my

This module has offered information about delirium. You have reviewed some strategies to recognize and manage delirium. You are now more aware of the differences between delirium and dementia. You can start to develop your own strategies related to delirium and find additional support in your area. What’s Next? You are now aware that delirium

A challenge faced by caregivers is how to communicate with health care professionals about delirium. Delirium is so complex that it can even be missed or unrecognized by health care professionals. It’s important to be prepared to speak with health care professionals so that they can provide help by offering recommendations, strategies, or other forms

What do I do if I suspect that the person in my care is in a delirium? Here are some suggestions. Try to stay calm. Here are four strategies that might help (click to expand). Stay Calm Quiet Create a quiet and familiar environment Encourage the usual routine Status Quo Get Help Seek medical attention

Many people are more familiar with dementia than delirium and often do not understand the difference between them. Before this module gets into detail on the topic of delirium, it is best to differentiate delirium and dementia right away. Delirium is a term that describes a new, sudden change in a person’s ability to think, remember