Many family members find themselves in a dilemma when it comes to providing care to a friend or loved one. They know they are doing a good thing by helping out, but they are finding themselves stressed, sad and alone.
In recognition of National Family Caregivers Month and its theme “Caregivers Matter,” the Koochiching Caregiver Consultant Program of Koochiching Aging Options is offering “Your Feelings Matter,” a free public presentation on Nov. 15 on the emotional impact of family care giving.
Guest speaker Willard Johnson of Northland Counseling Center will speak on the emotional ups and downs of care giving. He will be joined by Blue Heron Counseling Service’s Brenda Crowe speaking on the topic of caregiver depression. In addition, Christa Heibel of ReplenishMindBodySpirit will offer an opportunity to participate in a relaxation and focusing exercise.
The Nov. 15 event will be held at Backus Community Center, 900 Third Street, in the Falls. Registration for the free presentation begins at 6 p.m. The session will run from 6:30 to 8:30. Light refreshments and drawings will be offered. Call Koochiching Aging Options at 283-7030 with questions.
Family caregivers are defined as those who are providing assistance to a friend, neighbor or loved one who needs help meeting the challenges of everyday life. Caregivers provide a range of services, from helping a neighbor with chores and transportation to providing fulltime care for a family member with chronic illness. It is estimated that 65 million Americans are caregivers and that they provide over $460 billion in contributed help each year.
“We know that many, many individuals in our county are providing care to someone close to them. And we know that many face stressful situations daily,” said Leslee Loop, caregiver consultant at Koochiching Aging Options.
“Oftentimes caregivers ignore or deny their own feelings as they put someone else’s wellbeing first,” Loop said. “This presentation is a time for caregivers to learn just how normal it is to have strong feelings and to find out they are not alone in having emotional ups and downs. We hope they will learn it’s okay for caregivers to care for themselves.”
Johnson will provide insight into various aspects of the emotional rollercoaster that can come with caregiving. Johnson, who holds a PH.D. in psychology from George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, Tenn., is director of operations and clinical supervisor of the International Falls office of Northland Counseling Center. Areas of clinical interest include client centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and child, family and marital issues.
Caregiver depression will be addressed by Crowe, herself a family caregiver. The Family Caregiver Alliance has called depression a silent health crisis and estimates 20 percent of family caregivers face this condition that can involve anger, anxiety, sadness and guilt. In private practice at Blue Heron Counseling Services in International Falls since 1996, Crowe holds a master of science in psychology from St. Cloud State University. She works with all ages of clients and specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy and thought field therapy, addressing such issues as anxiety, grief and stress.
A third guest presenter is Heibel, Yoga instructor and proprietor of ReplenishMindBodySpirit, a local enterprise devoted to sharing techniques in balancing self-awareness and the strains of everyday life. She will offer examples of simple exercises available to help relieve stress and focus on self-care.
