Emily Living
Focus
MARY ANN K.
OYLER
Franklin Co.
Cooperative Extensioi
Caring for the Caregiver
Being the primary or a sup
portive caregiver for an elderly
person can be very rewarding
but it also has its share of chal
lenges. Many recipients of care
really appreciate all you do and
respond lovingly. You have the
feeling that you have done your
best for someone you care about.
Take that same caregiver and
sprinkle on a little guilt, spread
some frustration, slice time in
half, and you’ll have the unsa
vory predicament facing the
sandwich generation.
Coined for the growing
number of Americans who are
taking care of their aging par
ents and their children at the
same time, the Sandwich Gener
ation, as well as older caregivers,
often finds that taking care of
themselves gets shoved to the
back burner.
Women in particular find
themselves in the role of care
giver, whether by choice, in
stinct or process of elimination.
Of all caregivers, almost 80 per
cent are women, and more than
half of those women are in the
workforce. Already juggling the
demands of career and family,
these women add yet another
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layer to the Super Woman Syn
drome.
It is not always easy to be the
caregiver. We are often so in
tertwined with the person we are
caring for, it’s difficult not to
bury our own needs in the care
giving process.
Many of us have been brought
up with the idea that it is far
more blessed to give than to
receive. It is physically exhaust
ing to put another’s needs first
for years on end. It’s mentally
fatiguing to be constantly on call
to give medications, schedule
doctors’ appointments, and run
a household at the same time.
The loss of “what once was”
in a relationship emotionally
and physically is painful for
both partners. Research studies
have shown that family care
givers are at high risks for devel
oping stress related problems.
Studies find high rates of de
pression among caregivers, high
levels of anxiety, and increased
vulnerability to health problems.
Caregivers often feel power
lessness, a sense that they have
no control over events. Feeling
powerless has a significant nega
tive impact on a caregiver’s
physical and emotional health.
For More Information
1-800-468-4909
717-354-4929
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The Mayo Clinic of Rochester
offers the following suggestions
to all caregivers, whether deal
ing with chronic or non chronic
illness: Identify the stressors in
your caregiving role. What tasks
or behaviors are most frustrat
ing or anxiety-producing?
Think through and plan your
responses to these stressful situ
ations. Learn and practice stress
management techniques. Relax
ation exercises such as deep
breathing, visualization, as well
as physical exercise, can be help
ful. Get adequate rest.
Recognize that caregiving is
stressful. Don’t be hard on your
self when you experience impa
tience, frustration, sadness, or
anger. These are natural emo
tions when caring for someone
who may be unhappy, ungrate
ful, or difficult.
Be willing to walk away from
difficult situations to calm
down. Return later and try a
new approach.
Set realistic goals regarding
what and how much you can do
for your loved one.
Take one day at a time. Try
not to worry about what might
happen when you have planned
the best you can.
Be good to yourself. Give
yourself frequent praise and
rewards for your patience and
endurance. Say nice things to
yourself when the person you
are caring for no longer can.
Use your sense of humor
continue to have fun.
Maintain your own physical,
emotional, and spiritual health.
Find sources for personal satis
faction. Cultivate some emo
tional detachment.
In addition to keeping your
stress level in line, check with
The Chi Machine
The Sun Harmony Aerobic Exerciser
Does your body get the oxygen it needs?
{Adapted from a quiz by Dr Eigi Noguchi)
Check all the boxes w/nc/i apply to you -
a I wake up tired, even after eight hours of sleep
01 sleep restlessly, waking up frequently
CJI suffer from chronic fatigue
□ I have poor physical endurance
0 1 tend to be moody and irritable
01 am susceptible to colds and flu
01 suffer from allergies
□ 1 frequently feel tense and on edge
□ I am frequently constipated
□ I have frequent pain in my shoulder and/or back
O I have weight problems
□ I crave sweets, alcohol or soda
If you checked more than three boxes, your body
might not be assimilating sufficient oxygen
Please consult your physician You may wish to
have jour blood oxygen levels tested - before and
at lei sou begin to use the Chi Machine
"My research has
convinced me that lack
of oxygen is the root ol
most or perhaps even all
disease ”
Dr Shtzuo Inoue
* OSS’
Infant Brain Development
MIDDLETOWN (Dauphin Co.) -
Early experiences are important in
shaping a child’s brain development,
and an upcoming satellite videocon
ference will tell Dauphin County par
ents and child care providers what
they can do to insure the best out
comes.
In “What Brain Research Tells Us
About Infant Care,” host James Van
Horn, professor of rural sociology in
Penn State’s College of Agricultural
Sciences, will discuss with guests,
Karen Lindbergh and Christine
Murphy, the different types of care
infants need at different ages. They’ll
also look at making feeding, diaper
ing, and sleeping more than routine
chores for infants by fostering quality
interactions.
According to Jane Mecum, Penn
State Cooperative Extension family
living agent in Dauphin County, the
program looks to present child care
providers with new ways to make car
ing routines valuable experiences for
infants. “We will discuss how appro
priate care practices like diapering,
feeding and playing change with the
age of the infant, she says. “We also
want to demonstrate appropriate ver
bal and non-verbal communication
with an infant.”
Child care providers and interest
ed parents can see “What Brain
Research Tells Us About Infant Care”
from 7:00-9:00 on Tuesday, April 18,
at the Valleys United Church of
Christ, Halifax, or 7:00-9:00 on
Monday, May 1, at Penn State
Capitol Campus Educational
Activities Building, Middletown.
The one-and-a-half hour satellite
workshop is part of Better Kid Care,
your local Area Agency of
Aging, local hospital or home
health agency, American
Cancer Society, Alzheimer’s
Disease and Related Disorders
Associations for community
support.
If you are the friend of a care
giver, you can provide invalu
able help by being a good
listener or by checking on ser
vices in your area. Offering to
come and be with the older
person for a few hours on a regu
lar basis could really make a dif
ference in how your caregiver
friend can cope. Remind the
caregiver often that if they get
enough exercise, rest and take
time for themselves, they will be
a better caregiver!
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a nationwide training program reach
ing an estimated 35,000 childcare
providers throughout the United
States and Canada. The program,
which is delivered m conjunction
with Penn State Cooperative
Extension family living agents, pro
vides education materials, learning
experiences and satellite training
workshops for child care providers,
parents and employers.
For more information on the pro
gram, support materials and other
services from “BETTER KID
CARE,” call Dauphin County
Cooperative Extension at 921-8803.
The BETTER KID CARE Website
can be found a http://BetterKid
Care.psu.edu/newtoc.html.
Penn State is an affirmative
action, equal opportunity university,
and all interested individuals, regard
less of race, color, sex, national on
gin, sexual orientation, age or disabil
ity, are encouraged to attend. Penn
State encourages persons with dis
abilities to participate in its programs
and activities. If you anticipate need
ing any type of accommodation or
have questions about the physical
access provided, please contact Jane
Mecum at (717) 921-8803 at least
three weeks in advance of your par
ticipation or visit.
Lawnmower
Tune-up Set
April 14,15
NEWARK, Del. - The Annual
Spring Lawnmower Tune-up for push
mowers, sponsored by Alpha Gamma
Rho fraternity and the Society of
Automotive Engineers (SAE) at (he
University of Delaware, is set for
Friday, April 14, from 4 to 6:30 p.m.,
and Saturday, April 15, from 8 a.m. to
2 p.m.
Bring your lawnmower to the
engineering shop behind Womlow
Hall on South College Avenue
(across from Chrysler) for a tune-up
that includes a clean air filter, replac
ing spark plug, an oil change, sharp
ening and balancing the blade and
power washing. No repairs will be
made. The cost is $25. For more
information, contact the UD-SAE at
831-6532.
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