Young Caregivers › Forums › Hello world!
Hi Katie! Thanks for the podcast recommendations – I’ll have to check out “Twenty-Four Seven”! OCO also has a podcast on caregiving, featuring different guests sharing their experiences with being a caregiver. It’s called Time To Talk. Here is the link: https://ontariocaregiver.ca/time-to-talk-podcast-for-caregivers/ Check it out!
Welcome Dean, thanks for joining us!
Thank you @dhenderson! I love how you phrased it as knowing someone with dementia. I think the term caregiver is a tricky one that a lot of people don’t connect to, especially young people. I know I didn’t relate to that term at all when I was a caregiver. But a lot of people know someone with dementia and we (and you) are here to support them!
I also love the memory you shared of your great aunt. Some of the most special memories I have of my grandmother were conversations that didn’t make a lot of sense, and it can be hard to share those memories with others. People assume it’s a sad memory but it doesn’t always have to be. I hope others who read this will connect with what you’ve shared. I also hope people will share their own stories or ask you questions because you are a great resource on dementia! Thank you for sharing.
Hi everyone,
My name is Dean Henderson. I was a young caregiver supporting my grandmother’s end of life. I am now working at The Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County – we support caregivers, care partners and families who support someone living with dementia.
Looking forward to connecting and being a support.
Best,
Dean
Thanks for sharing, @shewasinmymathclass! I also consider my morning cup of coffee a key part of my self-care routine! Sometimes it’s all I can do but at least it starts the day off right 🙂
Welcome yashvidg! Thanks for introducing yourself. It’s great to see all these different kinds of caring experiences. Everyone’s situation is unique, but it’s also nice to see that across caregiving situations, people have a lot in common too. I know finding balance can be a challenge, but it also sounds like you know what works for you! Thanks for sharing, I know it’s helpful for other young caregivers who visit here to hear your story and feel a little less alone!
Thanks for sharing, @yashvidg! Self-care is so important. I have really been enjoying going for walks, but I don’t know if that will be possible when winter comes! I hope to see some other (probably indoor!) ideas in this thread!
This is a great, free program and a great way to try out some FREE counselling or coaching sessions!
Thank you for sharing Clayo! Consent and privacy is such a scary topic, and I know a lot of young caregivers aren’t sure where to even begin with things like this. Hopefully this is a good starting point 🙂
That’s such a good point, and that’s been my experience too. I find working from home really convenient. But some kinds of support are a lot harder to get. Especially before people were getting vaccinated, it was a really scary time.
It’s great you can be there to support your sister. Do you find she needs more support than usual with online school? I’ve heard it’s been really hard on young people. But it sounds she has lots of support at home, which makes a big difference.
Hi unknown,
Thanks for sharing what works for you! Routines are so important, and caregiving can be such a challenge to our routines. Suddenly we are following someone else’s routine and not our own, and things like appointments can really throw a wrench in them. Just because you set a routine doesn’t mean you always have to stick to it, but it can definitely help!
This page might also be helpful: https://youngcaregiversconnect.ca/balancing-life-and-responsibilities/
I have to admit, I like the spring and summer, but fall is my favourite season as well 🙂
Wow, 4am is very late! Sleep can have such a big impact on our wellbeing and the pandemic has really impacted a lot our routines.
I wanted to share a video of a webinar OCO hosted recently about resilience: Everyday Resilience. It talks about different ways we can foster resilience in our day to day lives, and with the pandemic going on so much longer than we all thought it would, I thought it might be helpful to share here!
Thank you for sharing what has helped you, and your experience about your grandmother. It must be hard at times supporting her but it sounds like you’ve found lots of things that work for both of you.
These are great suggestions for all caregivers, but especially for casualmetaphor’s situation. It really is normal to feel overwhelmed and these strategies can definitely help. I especially like the dollar store calendar idea since money can be a real challenge when you’re a caregiver.
Hi unknown
Setting boundaries is so important! It can be really hard to separate the person from the illness, but it sounds like this is a really helpful way to protect your friendship.
You might find this article useful about supporting someone with mental illness: https://youngcaregiversconnect.ca/mental-illness/
Sometimes it can be hard to set boundaries in the moment, but you’re right, it can be what sustains your relationship over the long term so that you can keep supporting them going forward. That’s a big step and it sounds like you’ve really found something that works for you and your friend.
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