Training: changing perspectives to better manage daily challenges

Each training course is different, and is tailored to a particular stage in the caregiving journey, but at every turn, caregivers change their approach and find new points of reference. During the course of the 7 to 8 weeks of training, a foundation is laid. There’s a movement and a shift that takes place in the person, beyond his or her vulnerable situation…

At the end of each training session, we ask the participants to self-assess where they are in relation to their initial objective. For example, one caregiver said she wanted more energy to do things for herself. Does she feel she has achieved her goal? It’s important to know where the person stands so they can adjust. Most caregivers say the situation has “improved,” or is “better.”

The Pas à pas vers la gestion du stress (offered in French only) and You and Me as Life Goes On training courses are part of a Chaire Marguerite-d’Youville research project. Questionnaires are given to caregivers one week before, just after and three months after the course has been completed. In addition, after all the training sessions, caregivers can contact Caregiver Support to continue benefiting from their support.

Yes, I have one right in front of me: “Reframing is the thing that brings me the most peace in all the helplessness I’m experiencing.” Reframing is one of the stress management strategies we teach, a technique that enables us to change our perception of a situation by “changing our perspective.” These words really resonate! There is peace concerning the powerlessness experienced! There’s a calming effect…

Another caregiver reports being able to sit calmly with their cognitively impaired loved one without finishing sentences, and to take the time to be with them without feeling obliged to try to fill the silences. I think it’s wonderful to be able to appreciate the present moment.

Caregivers often say that the personal touch offered by the support staff really makes all the difference. A counselor is always there to provide personalized support based on the caregiver’s situation and objective. If I’ve applied a problem-solving technique, I don’t know if it’s effective. The counselor provides an alternative view of the situation to open up a range of solutions. And they always start from where the person is at the moment.

Personalized support is experienced as a gift from heaven: “someone cared about my well-being, my perspective, and offered me personal feedback. It’s not ChatGPT! The counselor is a true advocate, and is there for me.” That’s what the caregivers themselves have been saying: the counselor understood and supported them so well that they were able to make the change they wanted to make in the first place. These programs are all about human interaction and dialogue.

I find that truly remarkable! This is a major aspect. Training, yes, but always support in the appropriation of knowledge! Every intervention is tailored to the individual.

The caregivers who enroll in these stress management programs have been providing support to someone close to them for some time.

The main benefit is to be able to deconstruct a difficult or stressful situation so that you can regain control over it. It may sound simple, but it’s a real learning process! Sometimes we make a mistake, or try something we thought would work better. Participants learn to choose another path when their first attempt doesn’t work.

Here’s a testimonial: “I’m able to recognize a situation in which I don’t feel comfortable. I have a method for better managing my stress in this situation, using strategies that are adapted to my own situation.”

This training involves caregivers who have transitioned to caring for someone who transitions to a long-term care facility. They look after the person in a different way; professionals have taken over the day-to-day responsibilities. How, then, can they maintain a meaningful link with the person they care for, and reorganize their lives?

Caregivers who take part in this training say they are better equipped to avoid being bystanders in this new situation. They say they have a better understanding of how CHSLDs are organized, and are able to express their expectations and needs in a respectful and collaborative manner. They know what it takes to “be part of the team.”

I’d tell them to give it a try. There’s no obligation and it’s free. They’ll benefit from specific support, tailored to their needs. With the right tools, caregivers can regain control over their situation, which can be difficult and complex.

• Register for training
• Learning to Become a Caregiver
• MeSSAGES : An electronic method to support the learning of stress management strategies
• You and Me as Life Goes On
• Chaire de recherche Marguerite-d'Youville
• Véronique Dubé
• Contact our Caregiver Support Helpline

Subscribe to the Appuilettre, the Newsletter for caregivers, and receive each month, testimonials, thematic files and interviews.