Powerful Tools for Caregivers
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- Senior Help Line
The Powerful Tools for Caregivers educational series is held semi-annually at Missoula Aging Services.
Spring session runs March 23 through April 27, with classes meeting from 5:30 - 7 p.m. every Tuesday at MAS, 337 Stephens Ave. Please pre-register by calling 728-7682--space is limited and available first-come, first-serve. A nominal $25 fee covers cost of materials, and a sliding fee scale based on income is availble for the program. Respite care is also available on a sliding scale.
Taking Care of You: Powerful Tools for Caregivers (PTC) was developed as an educational program to provide family caregivers with the tools to increase their self-care and their caregiving ability and confidence. Research studies find high rates of depression and anxiety among caregivers and increased vulnerability to health problems. Caregivers frequently cite restriction of personal activities and social life as a problem. They often feel that they have no control over events, and that feeling of powerlessness has a significant negative impact on caregivers' physical and emotional health.
PTC is based on the highly successful Chronic Disease Self-Management Program developed by Dr. Kate Lorig and her colleagues at Stanford University's Patient Education Research Center. The proven benefits of PTC is one of the strongest reasons for taking the course.
Class participants report they:
- are better at caring for themselves,
- have fewer feelings of anger, guilt and depression,
- have increased confidence and ability to cope with the demands of caregiving, and
- take more advantage of community services.
Class members receive The Caregiver Helpbook, which was developed specifically for the class. Trained facilitators lead the classes using a standardized curriculum. There are more than 1,000 class leaders in 23 states.
Class Description
Class 1: Taking Care of You
This class sets the stage for the entire course. It emphasizes that the focus is on you, the caregiver, not on the family member receiving care and that during the series of classes caregivers will develop a box of self-care tools.
Class 2: Identifying and Reducing Personal Stress
Four steps are presented for effective stress management:
- Identifying early warning signs.
- Identifying personal sources of stress.
- Changing what you can change and accepting what you can't change.
- Taking action.
Class 3: Communicating Feelings, Needs, and Concerns
Participants learn to communicate their feelings, needs and concerns more effectively.
Class 4: Communicating in Challenging Situations
Participants practice two communication tools-assertiveness and Aikido-which are helpful in difficult situations.
Class 5: Learning From Our Emotions
The theme of this class is that we need to listen to the messages our emotions are sending us.
Class 6: Mastering Caregiving Decisions
The focus is on the internal emotional process caregivers go through when they experience a life change.
Class Schedule
For classes held in Missoula, a $25 fee covers the cost of the book, and a fee for the class based on a sliding fee scale is required. For more information or to be added to our class mailing list, email us at senior@missoulaagingservices.org.