CONTACT: Pamela D. Wilson 888-393-7754

Email:   Inquiry_For_Pamela@pameladwilson.com

Golden, Colorado – May 22, 2019

Caregiving Webinar: Don't Let This Happen to You

Waiting too long to get help results in caregiving stress, regrets, and potential harm to caregivers and loved ones. Caregiving webinars make it easy for caregivers to get help before unexpected events happen in caregiving situations.

Caregivers looking for trusted sources of reliable information have difficulty knowing where to turn for help. The role of caregiver is fraught with the unexpected.  Daily fluctuations in the ability of aging parents, spouses, and loved ones to take care of themselves plus changes in the health make caregiving feel like a never-ending rollercoaster ride.

The effect of caregiving stress on the brain is greater confusion, difficulty making good decisions, and gaining clarity about steps to help spouses and aging parents stay at home. Delays in making decisions prevent good care. Indecision makes problem-solving difficult.

A lack of confidence in working with healthcare providers results in doubt. Poor advocacy skills result in denial of care and treatment. All of these are reasons why caregivers should get help before this type of situation happens, and harmful events occur.

Webinars Bring Caregiving Support into the Homes of Caregivers and Aging Adults

Caregiving expert, Pamela D. Wilson, has the answer—online caregiving support groups and courses offered in recorded and live webinar formats. The webinar format brings much needed personalized help into the homes of caregivers and aging adults eliminating the struggle of having to leave home to attend an in-person support group or caregiving program. 

According to Pamela D. Wilson, "online courses and groups in a webinar format is an easy way for caregivers and aging adults to get the help they need. This information also helps caregivers avoid the pitfalls of unexpected caregiving situations."

Online Caregiving Courses For Computer Savvy Millennial Caregivers and Middle-Aged Caregivers Who Need A Little Computer Support

Recorded and live webinars are perfect for computer savvy millennials who are assuming significant responsibility caring for aging family members in record numbers. According to a 2018 AARP Public Policy Institute report, about 6.2 million millennials and counting are acting as caregivers for a parent, in-law, or grandparent. Millennials now represent one in four persons acting as caregivers in the United States.

Caregivers who are middle-aged and who may not be computer or tech-savvy receive help in taking the next step forward to embrace online caregiving courses. Pamela offers live videos, discussions, and recorded webinars to illustrate the simplicity and ease of accessing online caregiving courses and support.

Caregivers Need and Want Help but Feel Shamed for Asking

Caregivers, especially women, want to do it all. The belief exists that caregiving is an honor and a responsibility. When help is needed, there is an unspoken shame attached to asking for help.  

Expressing concern about caregiving struggles results in being shamed by others—who have no idea and lack sensitivity to the daily experiences of caregivers. Non-caregivers will say, "it can't be that bad," or "your parents took care of you now it's time to take care of them."

Caregivers Want Help But Find It Difficult To Ask

This lack of empathy by outsiders makes needing or asking for help a sign of weakness for the caregiver who then feels more isolated when others are unsympathetic. Family members fall into the same category of the unhelpful and the unsympathetic. Always finding excuses not to help or refusing to help is common in caregiving situations where one family member bears the burden of caregiving responsibilities.

Online caregiving courses and groups make it easy for caregivers to receive emotional support and camaraderie that is sorely needed. Only another caregiver can understand and be empathetic to the statements, "I'm so tired of being a caregiver," or "my husband's disease has ruined our lives—I feel more like the maid than a wife."

The role of caregiver results in isolation and loneliness. Few individuals understand what life is like for a 24/7 caregiver. Caring for aging parents can feel overwhelming Family disappears. Friendships dissolve because caregivers can't leave home to socialize. Friends don't want to see the realities of caregiving and don't know how to be empathetic.

The Effects of Caregiving on Health and Well-Being Are Shocking

While caregivers, both male, and female, readily accept caregiving responsibility out of love, the effects of caregiving can be significant. The health of caregivers is quickly compromised, becoming worse than the health of the aging parent or spouse for whom care is provided. Working caregivers find their schedules interrupted, some decrease work schedules, and experience financial strain.

Webinars Help Caregivers Learn New Skills and Gain Confidence in Decision Making

The role of caregiving encompasses so many different skills, both task-related and interpersonal. For example, sons and male spouses who become overnight caregivers for mothers and wives have to learn an entirely new skill set.

While bathing and personal care may come more naturally to women, who raised children, these tasks open up the door of uncomfortable situations to navigate for male caregivers. Male caregivers hesitate to admit they feel stressed by caregiving responsibilities. 

Caregiving webinars offer solutions for many of the day-to-day hands-on tasks that caregivers perform as part of the routine of care. The sharing by caregivers in groups and courses about performing these tasks is valuable to participants in the groups. Providing hands-on care for loved ones results in greater stress because of the time commitment and the increased level of responsibility for loved ones who can no longer take care of themselves.

Caregivers Need Better Than Average Social and Interpersonal Skills To Succeed

Interpersonal skills to negotiate with family members and the healthcare system are a significant need in caregiving. As the health of aging loved ones decline and medical needs increase, interactions with medical practices, insurance companies, and health organizations increases.

Aging adults are viewed negatively by a healthcare system that favors youth. Medical treatments are denied and have fatal results.

Wilson shares the story of "Don't Let This Happen to You."  

"I had doctors tell me that my clients (for whom I was power of attorney o court-appointed guardian) were old and should not receive medical care or treatment. Recommendations were made to "let them die - they've lived a good life." As a legally responsible party, I followed the wishes of my clients and advocated fiercely for their care when this was their desire. My advocacy efforts resulted in major disagreements with surgeons, physicians, and other medical staff who I am certain viewed my efforts as interfering and resulting in more work for them."

For caregivers, a lack of confidence or unfamiliarity with advocacy skills can be disastrous for the care of aging parents and spouses. Pamela's mission is to help caregivers, and aging adults become more informed about the realities of caregiving to support positive interactions that result in better than average care. The goal of her transition from 1:1 direct care is to reach as many caregivers as possible to provide hope, solutions, and confidence that caregiving can be better.

Don't Let This Happen to You -- When Help Is Too Late

The reality of caregiving is that caregivers don't know what they don't know. And asking for help when it's too late results in regret and guilt. 

The following is a quote from a caregiver who watched one of Pamela's educational videos about hospital and nursing home care.

"Thanks for that good advice, unfortunately, it comes too late for my 86-year-old brother who passed away recently after hip fracture and both orthopedist refusing to do any surgery. The resultant pain and loss of walking after 8 weeks of healing was horrible, and he fell again and could not get to his oxygen and died!"

Some caregivers view "learning" as a negative because the idea of going back to school or taking a course is seen as time that caregivers don't have. In Wilson's opinion, becoming more informed is a proactive decision to take action to avoid unnecessary caregiving disasters.

According to Wilson, "getting caregiving help is like changing the oil on a car so that the car runs well and doesn't need more costly maintenance. Waiting to get help in caregiving situations results in health declines, higher costs of care." 

Many caregivers are stuck in the "I want help" cycle but fewe know how or where to get help. While many caregivers feel hopeless or helpless, the only way forward is to take action and to become more informed to solve caregiving problems.

Wilson asks caregivers, "what will the caregiving situation be like in one week, one month, 6-months, or 1 year from now if you do nothing?" Caregiving situations improve by taking action and gaining knowledge.

Placing the care and well-being of spouses, aging parents, and other family members at risk because of fear of taking action or making the wrong decision results in regret and guilt. Aging parents and loved ones are concerned about being a burden. Less burden exists when all involved in caregiving acknowledge that help is needed and participate in courses and support groups.  

A Computer and an Internet Connection Is All That Is Needed to Get Help Today

A computer and an Internet connection make it easy for caregivers and aging adults to get needed help today. There's no need to leave home. Course information can be accessed 24/7.

The recorded webinars for the courses can be watched over and over again. Workbooks, worksheets, and assessments are part of Pamela's online courses. This support plus live webinars for question and answer help caregivers get the support they need to make caregiving situations better.

More information is available on Pamela's website and on her course pages for Power of Attorney and Stay at Home

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