Caregiver Class Being Offered By BVHS

(From Blanchard Valley Health System)

Community members caring for loved ones with dementia, Parkinson’s disease, or other chronic illnesses can learn tools and strategies to help them during an upcoming class at Blanchard Valley Hospital (BVH).

The class “Empowering Caregivers with Best Practice Tools & Strategies” will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23 in the Aller & Davis meeting rooms at BVH. There is no charge, but pre-registration is required. The class is limited to 20 participants.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), caregiving has become a critical health issue in the United States. Over 53 million unpaid caregivers help support loved ones battling chronic conditions or disabilities. This workshop will discuss both the emotional and physical sides of caregiving. In addition, best practice tools, strategies, and resources will be provided to support the role of caregivers and their loved ones.

Lindsey Buddelmeyer, OTD, MOT, OTR/L, leadership education & training specialist for Blanchard Valley Health System, has presented on the topic to both healthcare professionals and community members in the past. A recent community presentation led to a request for further community education of this kind.

“Everyone can kind of relate to caregiving,” Buddelmeyer said.

She cited a quote from former first lady Rosalynn Carter, who founded the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers: “There are only four kinds of people in the world – those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.”

People often find themselves being thrust into the role unexpectedly and receive no training, Buddelmeyer said.

“They want to take good care of their loved ones, but they aren’t sure what doing it ‘right’ looks like,” she said. “Sometimes just knowing some of the resources available can make a real difference.”

For example, she said, there are types of adaptive equipment that Medicare does not cover, but area nonprofit and community groups may be able to help.

“Caregiving can be financially taxing as well as emotionally stressful, so in the class we will cover resources that can help lessen that stress,” Buddelmeyer said.

She added that she hopes caregivers who attend the class will recognize that they are not alone.

“Caregivers are often encouraged to go to support groups, and these groups can have a big impact on their lives,” Buddelmeyer said. “However, some individuals have trouble finding a group that’s a good fit for them, and, because of the very nature of caregiving, often it’s a challenge to leave the house since their loved one would be alone. This program is designed as another way to help caregivers connect with one another.”

Class participants will break out into small groups and support one another as caregivers.

“Caregivers put so much hard work, and so much love, into what they do. I encourage them to give themselves grace,” Buddelmeyer said. “These community members do so much to keep other individuals safe and improve their quality of life. We’re excited at BVHS to offer this opportunity to support the caregivers who support so many others.”

For more information, or to register for the class, please visit bvhealthsystem.org/caregiverclass