Kyle L' Kostelecky, PhD, CFLE

1
Kyle L. Kostelecky, PhD, CFLE Family Life
Extension State Specialist Intergenerational
Programs Aging Families
2
Statistics
-- National Alliance for Caregiving AARP, 2001

• 46 years old
• Female
• Baby Boomer
• Some college
• Works
• 20 hours per week in caregiver role
• Cares for her mother who lives nearby

3
Statistics

• Married
• Care for 4.3 years
• Most care for 1 person
• Relative over 50 (80)
• Diabetes, cancer, heart disease (most)
• Alzheimers, dementia, mental confusion (25)

4
Statistics

• Unmet needs
• Time for self
• Managing stress
• Balancing work family
• Need help
• Keeping person safe
• Talking to health care professionals
• Making end-of-life decisions

5
What is Powerful Tools for Caregivers?

• A class designed for
• The family caregiver
• Provides skills to improve own care
• Six two-and-a-half hour or 90-minute class
  sessions
• Weekly
• Leaders
• Certified
• Experienced
• Become more comfortable with role as a caregiver
• Educational program, not a support group

6
CHANGE vs. TRANSITION

• Is external
• Involves
• Roles
• Situations
• Abilities
• Care needs
• Events
• Usually cant control
• Change triggers transition

• Is internal
• Involves
• Emotions/feelings
• Thoughts
• Attitudes
• Learning
• Acceptance
• We control

7
PHASES OF TRANSITION

• Endings
• Wilderness Period
• New Beginnings
• Finish old ? Begin anew

8
Why Should We Take Care of Ourselves?

• Studies show that
• We use 71 more prescription drugs
• We have a higher rate of depression
• We have 46 more physician visits
• We can become isolated
• We can experience loss of self, time,
• 40?

9
What Can PTC Do for Us?

• Help manage stress emotions
• Help communicate effectively
• Help make difficult decisions
• Help locate valuable resources
• Improve self-confidence
• Bring balance into life

10
A Key Point

• Always put on your oxygen mask before assisting
  others
• You cant help your loved one breath if you are
  not breathing yourself!

11
Tools You Can Use

• Over 25
• Managing self-care
• How to find resources
• Managing Stress
• Communicating with I
• Action Plans

12
What Graduates Are Reporting

• They are better educated able to
• Rally supporters
• Take time for leisure
• Use community resources
• Maintain a sense of humor
• Set realistic goals

13
What They Are Saying

• I am grateful for having participated in this
  course. I now have the tools to handle my
  situation in caring for both my husband and
  brother."
• Thank you for permission
• to think about me.

14
PARTS OF AN ACTION PLAN

• Something YOU want to do
• Reachable
• Behavior specific
• Answers these questions
• What?
• How much?
• When?
• How often?
• Confidence level
• Thrive while caregiving

15
To learn more

• http//www.extension.iastate.edu/homefamily/aging
  /