Download Who Are You as a Caregiver?

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
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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
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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?)
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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
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Immediate recall
Attention to selected info
Recent events
Relationships
• Preserved abilities
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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
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Immediate recall
Attention to selected info
Recent events
Relationships
• Preserved abilities
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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
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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
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Place & Space
Location
Sound
Lighting
Privacy
Security
Equipment
Furniture & Appliances
# of People Around
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Safety
Access
Use-ability
Hide-ability
Current State – Care Receiver
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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
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Money
Time
Energy
Skills
Space & Place
Services & Programs
People
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Equipment
Training
Support Groups
Advisors – medical &
legal & financial
• Agencies or
Organizations
Believe in Yourself
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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!