Kaua‘i is full of aloha. We take family, friends and community very seriously, and that is why on this wonderful little island it doesn’t take long for people to feel the aloha. We also take our responsibilities for care giving
Kaua‘i is full of aloha. We take family, friends and community very seriously, and that is why on this wonderful little island it doesn’t take long for people to feel the aloha. We also take our responsibilities for care giving very seriously, too. Sometimes some of us even take those responsibilities to the point of neglecting our own needs and health.
Perhaps you remember from my intro piece for The Garden Island that I let you know I was finishing up my Masters of Science in Gerontology. One of the subjects that comes up time and again throughout that program is caregiver burnout. As our population continues to age, and most elders want to age in place, the issue of caregiving is of growing concern. We must put in place sensible and effective strategies that will help as many people cope well with our changing demographics. Kaua‘i, more than most places in the world, understands and supports community-based strategies.
Last Thursday, at a packed Lihu‘e Lutheran Church, Sheila Warnock from New York, founder of the Share the Care program, ran a full-day workshop teaching eager local caregivers how to organize groups to care for those who are seriously ill. This workshop was community in action. The program is not just for professional caregivers; it is also for volunteers and is modeled after the first team of friends that gathered to care for one of Shelia’s friends who needed care throughout her terminal illness.
The professionally prepared materials and handouts, as well as the foundation itself, are funded through the Annie S. Knudsen Fund and here through the Hawai‘i Community Foundation as well as Kaua‘i Hospice. The vision of the program is that caregiving can be revolutionized in the United States by introducing this new paradigm in which ordinary people pool their efforts to help ease the burdens on care recipients and their caregivers.
It empowers the family and friends of an ill person to care well for their loved one, while also caring for themselves and respecting their own health and boundaries. The mission of the Share the Care program is to improve the quality of life of people who are seriously ill, disabled or experiencing the challenges of aging, and to reduce the stress, depression, isolation and economic hardship often suffered by their caregivers.
The training reviewed the needs of caregivers and the dangers of trying to do it all. It was acknowledged that many times caregivers don’t see themselves as burned-out and in need, as both they and the care recipient try to struggle along by themselves.
The steps for forming a team, getting that group up and running, systematic approaches and organized planning were reviewed, as well as how to sustain the group through difficult times and why closure is important. The training was from the heart and yet made profound sense to all who attended. The one thing that stuck out in my mind was how Shelia Warnock didn’t direct, but guided the discussions and the ideas of those attending. She truly cares and, rather than being possessive of the program, enthusiastically encourages people to develop and use the program as they see it working in their specific case.
If you are a current caregiver and need help or are interested in becoming a team member for others in the community, please call Lori Miller at Kaua‘i Hospice 245-7277 or Share the Care coordinator Deborah Duda at 332-7668. The day made me proud to live on Kaua‘i where community wellness is important.
• Jane Riley, B.A., C.P.T, C.N.A., can be reached at 212-1451 or www.janerileyfitness.com.
