Podcasts
Blog
Contact Us
You will be given everything you need including a session handbook and online access to a meditation exercise and relaxation strategies videos.
Caregivers who have completed this program feel significantly lower stress, depression, and anxiety and are able to enjoy a better quality of life. They have also experienced improvement in their ability to relax, manage stress and feel better about themselves.
The program consists of 90-minute sessions that occur once per week for 9 weeks. The program is conducted in a small group setting with two trained group facilitators. Participants are provided with many resources including a handbook covering class material, a meditation exercise, and a relaxation strategies videos.
| Week | Title and Content | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Getting Started: Group introductions, purpose, and expectations of program. | Relaxation Breathing |
| 2 | Stress: Effects on Mind, Body, and Spirit: Causes of stress, mind-body-spirit connections to stress. | Meditation |
| 3 | Caregiver Stress and Relaxation: Effects of stress, relaxation response, creating a relaxation environment. | Imagery |
| 4 | Facing Challenges: Understanding and managing difficult and challenging situations when caring for someone with dementia or a chronic illness. | Hand Massage |
| 5 | Grief, Loss, and Depression: Grieving process and losses related to caring for someone with dementia or a chronic illness. | Art |
| 6 | Coping with Stress: Discussion of changeable and unchangeable stressors. Changing roles and relationships. Use of coping strategies. | Aromatherapy |
| 7 | Positive Thinking: Changing the way one can think (cognitive restructuring) and how to view situations in a more positive framework. Twisted thinking is discussed. | Journaling |
| 8 | Taking Care of Yourself: Healthy Living: Integrating the strategies learned in earlier sessions to help develop a healthier lifestyle. Emphasis on incorporating good nutrition and sleep habits, exercise, and hobbies into daily routines. | Music |
| 9 | Choosing a Path to Wellness: Final integration of first 8 sessions and applying it so caregivers will be empowered to take care of themselves. Caregivers create a plan to do this and focus on healthy living. Discuss assertiveness skills. |
Helping seniors and family caregivers with free, personalized advice to enhance health, independence and aging in place. Sign up for our new Caregiver SOS newsletter and Senior Health News and customize to fit your need.
Get Active