Pam, a teacher for over 30 years, had to leave her position because of care giving demands. Pam is the primary caregiver for her husband, a 77 year-old retired physician, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s over four years ago. Her life has changed dramatically. No time for the work she loves, no time for herself, drained of energy by the end of the day; she’s lost her best friend and feels tired and alone.
Recently, Pam was connected to the United Way of Tri-County Powerful Tools for Caregivers series of support workshops. She has attended two support groups offered by the program through BayPath Elder Services, one of which was geared toward caregivers of persons with dementia. Pam chose to attend the classes because she continues to struggle with managing the care of her husband, and thought educational classes would provide her with something very different from a support group.
She is already very pleased with the results. As an educator, Pam feels the class structure and materials offer effective and practical strategies. “What I like about the material is that I can easily use the strategies and tools I learn in the classroom at home with my husband. I love the group activities; they push me to a different place.”
Pam reports that the classes have enabled her to think differently about her role as a caregiver, and her outlook is already more positive. “I don’t have a lot of people that I can share those emotional things with. Being with other caregivers makes me realize I am not the only one. It’s so easy to get stuck in a rut in your care giving situation. Having this opportunity helps me to grow by changing my attitude and learning how to do things differently.”
Pam is committed to attending all six classes of the United Way of Tri-County Powerful Tools for Caregivers series, and looks forward to future workshops. Pam has used the Action Plan component of the classes to take time for herself to return to satisfying activities, like Tai Chi, that she had participated in before her husband’s diagnosis. The classes have been the catalyst for Pam’s change.
