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Friends Caring for Friends - A Circle of Care Approach

May 11, 2021

Have you ever said this to a struggling caregiver - “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help?’ The offering has good intent, but many times people say it because they don’t know how to help, are uncomfortable, or want to be polite. And although 29 percent of caregivers in BC are in distress, you will still hear caregivers say: ‘I don’t need any help’ or ‘It’s okay, I’m fine’.


Today we hear from Jim and how he supported his friend Art and Art’s wife Grace during Grace’s diagnoses and disease. Jim shares how in the process of supporting his friends, and at first it wasn’t with great success, he learned a lot about himself. We talk about the FCBC Circle of Care model and how it worked for Jim and his support group.

Highlights:

  • Watching a friend with caregiving
  • How to support his caregiver friend and his wife who was ill and then dying
  • Circle of Care concept and development with the support of Family Caregivers of British Columbia
  • Strategies and tools to support
  • Vulnerability, growth, and learning from a man's point of view
  • The need to talk with other men and find his voice in communication and understanding

Resources:

Online Tools and Apps:

  • CaringBridge helps you create a free personal website to quickly share updates about your care recipient’s health journey. Share news and updates with everyone at the same time, activate your community and coordinate help, and receive emotional strength and support. https://www.caringbridge.org/
  • Lotsa Helping Hands features a free Help Calendar where you can post requests for support. Members of your community can quickly find ways to help, and Lotsa will send reminders and help coordinate logistics automatically so nothing falls through the cracks. Share how things are going, update requests, and receive support and feedback. http://lotsahelpinghands.com/
  • MealTrain is a free interactive online meal calendar with customized calendar dates, times and meal preferences. Invitations can be sent via email and Facebook including reminder emails, online journal updates and an optional donation fund add-on. https://www.mealtrain.com/
  • Tyze Connecting Care is an online tool that brings people together around someone receiving care.If you’re helping to care for someone Tyze is a simple way to keep everyone informed and get organized. Send updates to everyone at once from anywhere, keep track of everything in one place, access appointments, store documents and let family and friends know how to help. There may be a cost involved depending on options selected. http://tyze.com/caring-for-someone/
  • Ability411, they "answer questions and provide practical information about technologies, tools and equipment that increase independence and well-being for BC seniors, and support their families and care teams." https://www.ability411.ca/

Links Mentioned in Episode:

Connect With Us!

Family Caregivers of BC Website https://www.familycaregiversbc.ca/

Telephone: (250) 384-0408
Toll-Free Line Within BC: 1-877-520-3267
Fax: (250) 361-2660
Email: info@familycaregiversbc.ca

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FamilyCaregiversBC/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/familycaregiversofbc/

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/18122187

Twitter https://twitter.com/caringbc

Thank you!

BC Ministry of Health - Patients as Partners Initiative https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/partners/patients

Organized Sound Productions http://www.organizedsound.ca/