By Ann Julian, LCSW-R, MSW
Special to Alzheimer's Weekly
Week of Sept. 30 - Oct. 6

Corporate America has often been in the forefront of creating innovative solutions to employee dilemmas. Now they are investing in ways to care for the working caregiver by educating them in ways to better support their sick loved ones.

The stress of juggling jobs with care-giving can be deadly; a four-year study at the University of Pittsburgh showed mortality rates were 60 percent above the norm in caregivers age 65 and older.

In a healthy response, U.S. Corporations are building training programs that offer problem-solving and nursing skills, as well as stress management techniques. These programs were shown to cut the rate of depression in caregivers. A study at Arizona State University showed the depression in caregivers dropped from 23 percent down to 13 percent after they completed such a program.

A new program called Powerful Tools for Caregivers, developed by the Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging, together with the Alzheimer’s Association, is available online and offered at the Nike and Intel corporations.

The program, developed with funding from IBM, Texas Instruments and the Exxon Mobile corporations, gives pointers on how to deal with doctors and families as well as basic care-giving skills and relaxation techniques.

A study by Alzheimer’s Association executive Daniel Kuhn that examined the impact of the Powerful Tools course on 49 participants who completed the program found the program “may play a role in lowering health care costs.” 

The study also showed significant improvements in the caregivers’ self-reported health, as well as their exercise, relaxation and overall resiliency.

Another caregiver course developed by the same team is the Making Sense of Memory Loss program. Family members who are caring for their loved one with Alzheimer’s disease can access the basic curriculum through the website. 

Making Sense of Memory Loss is a program that is available to care-givers who are not employed by a corporation.  It is simple and easy to access. It offers crucial points for a care-giver who has limited time and resources with which to learn how to care for a loved one at home.

Another worthwhile set of programs is offered by Care Train, Inc., touted as “the leader in care-focused online learning.”  The Care Train website features caregiver training programs for several environments, including corporate workplaces as well as home-based family education.  Even government agencies such as the San Diego Department of Aging & Independence Services are sponsoring this training program on their websites.

All the care-giver training programs feature a common theme, whether in the slick corporate environment, in the community or online: It may not be easy, but it can be done, and the more you know, the better for your loved one as well as for you.

More Information:

Family Caregiving……. It’s not all up to you.
http://www.familycaregiving101.org/manage/skills.cfm

Making Sense of Memory Loss
http://www.matherlifeways.com/re_msml.asp

Powerful Tools for Caregivers
http://www.matherlifeways.com/re_ptconline.asp

Home-based Caregiver Support from Care Train Inc.
http://www.caretrain.com/home_support.html

Care Train Solutions for Caring
http://www.caretrain.com/

 Steps2Care Training Program
http://www.steps2care.com/courses.html#bathing

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