Workshop uses humor to help caregivers cope

  Friday, March 4, 2016 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

The U.S. is in the midst of an elderly population explosion. Waves of the Baby Boom generation are moving into retirement, and, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2030, one in five Americans will be elderly. A workshop at Pittsburg State University is designed to address some of the challenges that those who care for our older citizens will face.

PSU and PSU’s Irene Bradley School of Nursing will present “Finding Hope, Humor and Heart in Caregiving” by Elaine K. Sanchez, from 1-5 p.m. on Thursday, March 10, in the Crimson and Gold Ballroom of the Overman Student Center. This free workshop is open to students and faculty as well as professional and family caregivers. The workshop is worth four CEUs for nurses.

Sanchez is an author, speaker and co-founder of CaregiverHelp.com, a video-based caregiver support program. Her passion for helping family and professional caregivers cope with the emotional stress of caring for individuals with progressive and degenerative diseases is based on her own experience of caring for aging family members.

She is the author of the unflinchingly honest but funny book, “Letters from Madelyn, Chronicles of a Caregiver.” She writes the blog, “Caregiver Help Word of the Day,” as well as numerous free-lance articles for a variety of print and online publications.

Together with her husband, Alex Sanchez, Elaine developed the curriculum for “Gero-407 – Caregiving,” which was taught at Western Oregon University, as well as a number of online continuing education courses for nurses, long-term care administrators and mental health professionals.

At PSU, Sanchez will lead four separate breakout sessions: “Coping with Caregiver Anger and Guilt,” at 1 p.m.; “Understanding Caregiver Depression and Grief,” at 2:40 p.m.; “Managing Dementia-Related Challenging Behaviors,” at 3:10 p.m.; and “Developing a Plan for Self Care,” at 4:10 p.m. Participants may attend any or all of the sessions.

Nurses wishing to earn four CEUs should sign up upon arrival.

This workshop is offered as part of the Education for Public Health Grant from the Kansas Health Foundation. For more information, call 620-235-4431.