Online classes can take the stress out of caregiving

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Vicki Higgins

 

When I was 57-years-old, my mother told me to go to my room. And unlike when I was a child, I gladly went. I was a full-time, live-in caregiver for my aging parents and some days were tough. I knew at that moment I needed to walk away and give us both some space. Arguing that I was too old to be sent to my room was not productive. I faced significant challenges caring for my parents and I needed help.

 

AARP estimates that there are approximately 463,000 at-home caregivers at any given time in Oregon. I spent nearly two years caring for my parents. And even though I had experience as a professional caregiver, I was blown away by how overwhelming it is to care for family members. I have tremendous sympathy and compassion for family caregivers who start this journey without any training.

 

Thankfully, I learned about Oregon Care Partner’s free trainings for caregivers. They offer online and in-person classes across the State of Oregon for Alzheimer’s and related dementia care, safe medication management and common challenging behaviors. These classes gave me a deeper understanding of aging behaviors, caregiving strategies, age-related diseases, the challenges of being a family caregiver versus a professional caregiver, and the importance of asking for help and taking care of myself.

 

All the trainings are free thanks to funding from the State of Oregon. The online classes can be taken at your own pace, which is essential as caregivers don’t have long breaks or a lot of free time. And they are much more user-friendly than any other online classes I’ve taken. The in-person classes are no more than one day (typically two to four hours), and gave me an opportunity to meet and network with other caregivers.

 

If you are caring for an aging loved one, visit OregonCarePartners.com to view the class lists and register. Or, if you know someone who’s a family caregiver, tell them about Oregon Care Partners, and help spread the word about this valuable free service.

 

Vicki Higgins is a life coach residing in Ontario, Ore.