A Message of
Hope and Help for

Caregivers

Caring
for the

Caregiver

CORPORATE DIRECT

Caring
for the

Caregiver

CORPORATE DIRECT

Caring for a parent, spouse or friend at home can be overwhelming. Most caregivers want to feel they are doing everything possible to provide the best care. In addition, many caregivers have more commitments, including a job and other family.

While there are benefits in being a caregiver, these individuals often find themselves facing physical, emotional and financial difficulties due to taking on the caregiver role. Most find themselves in need of occasional respite from care giving or to take care of other obligations. Is there any wonder that many caregivers express a need for information about various aspects of their role, as well as for support from their peers and linkage to other caregiver?

The Caring For the Caregivers’ Corporate Direct program is designed to address those needs and bring family caregivers a multi-tiered support system featuring relaxed settings to discuss common issues, share ideas, and gain a better understanding of each other’s perspectives of care giving.

Forged from years of the extraordinary community outreach of Caring For The Caregiver, the brilliant five module session modeled from the Rosalynn Carter Institute’s “Caring For You, Caring For Me”program, as well as the resources of leading mental health professionals who share a deep commitment to the needs and concerns of caregivers, has made the Corporate Direct Program a unique and active resource for caregiver wellness, support and training.

Project Guide Specifics

TIER 1

“Success is the natural byproduct of awareness”

Of all the unpleasant emotional feelings caregivers’ cope with, hands down the most mentioned is ….”Loneliness”.

Established in 2008, Caring For The Caregiver recognized the plight of the caregiver and took active steps to address the subject.

That first meeting was magic! As people walked towards the community entrance a sign with the inspiring and empowering Rosalyn Carter’s quote was outside the door for all to see…

“There are only four kinds of people in the world – those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers”.

The mood of the entire meeting was upbeat. Balloons, handouts, giveaways, warm and caring people (caregivers themselves) greeting them and from the very first minute, making them feel…not alone.

People chatting together excitedly
turned to one another, “It’s as if we
have a second family”. A gentleman
who took his Mom gave her a balloon and as she looked around the room she said to him… “It’s like a fair”. From that moment…The Family Caregiver Fair (FCF) was given its name and the concept for the Corporate Direct Program took root.


Now, having organized many Family Caregiver Fairs (FCF), Caring For The Caregiver has found, whether in a community center, a corporate lunchroom, or a hospital, that this introduction to the project is spectacular. Warm, friendly, informational and family oriented it (FCF) gives those who attend a sense of calm, a center in an otherwise chaotic life. It offers an opportunity to realize that their disheartened feelings, problematic thoughts and even nightmares happen to others, as well. Others they can talk to, others that can recognize their silent pain, others who can direct them toward productive action designed for physical and emotional health and yes, others who can acknowledge that they are no longer and really never have been…alone. After every Caregiver Fair presented, the most frequent comment is always “I am not alone.”

TIER II: Group Educational Program

The next tier of the Corporate Direct program is as exciting as it is effective, as our caregivers are introduced to a dynamic group counseling program. This program includes 10 hours of remarkable content and is designed to be conducted in five, once-a-week modules. Each module is about 90 minutes long, including a 15-minute break. Facilitated by a mental health professional*, the program is designed to provide the group with educational information on caregiving and opportunities for participants to share their personal ‘stories’ and experiences. Through this sharing, participants gain and give much-needed support.

The broad objectives of the group program are for family caregivers to:

  • Gain information about various issues related to caregiving.
  • Learn ways to cope with the stressors of being a caregiver
  • Learn about resources available locally, regionally, and nationally.
  • Discover ways to work together to reduce the frustrations and barriers they face in their caregiving roles
  • Share common concerns
  • Recognize they are not alone – others share similar feelings and address similar issues

Course Content

The focus of each of the modules is twofold. First, it centers on the work of the group with the assistance of the facilitator. The facilitator assists the group to break each problem down into its separate, often multiple parts. To promote this process, the facilitator helps the members to identify individual patterns of thoughts, emotions, bodily feelings and actions, and then helps them change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.

Secondly, each module focuses on a different aspect of caregiver life and how to better cope with its extraordinary demands.

*The group education program is not a healthcare service and cannot substitute for healthcare service when a medical or mental health is or may be present.

Module 1:What it Means To Be A Caregiver
This session is designed to introduce the program to participants, help them develop a broader understanding of caregiving, and provide an opportunity for sharing caregiving experiences with one another. Its goal is to promote an atmosphere of openness and trust within the group and help participants understand they are not alone.

Module 2:Taking Care of Yourself
Caregivers often become focused on and consumed by the needs of care receivers and others involved in the caregiving process. As a result, they may neglect their own needs, failing to take care of themselves.
In this session, participants assess how well they’re taking care of themselves, identify possible repercussions if they don’t take care of themselves, and determine ways to improve their “self-care” skills.

Module 3:Building Cooperative Relationships
Caregiving relationships involve a minimum of three a
care receiver, a family caregiver, and a people: professional
caregiver. The relationship between family professional
caregivers is pivotal in providing appropriate, and effective
care for the care receiver. This session focuses on
and building cooperative relationships between the two types of caregivers. Family caregivers have an opportunity to share their thoughts about characteristics and behaviors that make each type of caregiver “helpful” or “unhelpful”. They then offer advice to one another on improving cooperation and collaboration.

Module 4:Preventing and Solving Problems
Over the course of a caregiving career, individuals are confronted with many types of problems. This session is designed to help participants understand and use a problem solving model. The model is introduced with a case study. Participants spend time in small groups practicing use of the model on real problems group members have experienced.

Module 5:Accessing and Developing Resources
Identifying and understanding community resources available to caregivers is often intimidating and confusing. This session is designed to help caregivers understand the barriers that prevent them from accessing resources; help them develop strategies for navigating the professional system of care and services; and learn about resources available in their communities.

Individual Sessions

Some people are either not ready for “group” or prefer a more traditional one-to-one experience. Tier II is ready with top health professionals for this alternative choice. Our individual sessions program helps people focus on personal healing, emotional growth and development. Incorporating cognitive-behavioral strategies, our counseling assists them to make the changes they have long wanted in themselves, their relationships and their life in general.

TIER III: Community Caring Circle

“Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another,
‘What! You, too? I thought I was the only one’.”

C.S. Lewis

Discovering that others have the same problem, caregivers no longer feel alone. Their feelings and experiences are legitimized; they no longer feel defective or deficient. Given the circumstances, their experience can be seen as typical and there are things that can be done about it. They are provided with a framework for coping: “The most important thing for me was finding someone like me” is a fairly common statement.

Between Tier I and Tier II activity, the Corporate Direct program has brought the caregiver to an important crossroad of understanding. In a traditional dilemma or acute problem, family and friends often

provide on-going support. In the caregiver world, however, family and community ties are often strained due to these multiple, emotionally charged responsibilities. Thus, caregivers need to continue this on-going support with others, who share mutual issues and concerns. Here, Caring For The Caregiver steps in with the third tier of the Corporate Direct Program, creating a community of “self-help” modality.

The Community Care Circle is a place where people talk to one another each we week about issues they cannot express in almost any other venue. At the end of the meeting, members are gently encouraged by one another to take action and report back. Since all the members of the group are caregivers, this quickly becomes an incredible resource of healing in the caregiver’s life…and the start of a new Family of Choice.

TIER IV: Support Options

Telephone Support
Every caregiver in the Corporate Direct Program will receive a follow up call to evaluate the services and set up telephone contact and support, if needed.

A toll-free help line will be available for telephone assistance. If there are questions or problems that require consultation, a facilitator will respond to calls within 48 hours with practical advice, help with problem solving, or to offer a referral to resources.

Blog/Twitter/Facebook
Caring For The Caregiver’s blog called, “Health Notes”… offers articles and discussion on strategies to enrich the lives of those struggling with the challenges of family care giving. A team of trusted wellness professionals specializing in the caregiver arena will offer a well-rounded approach to health for yourself as a caregiver, your family and those who are care receivers.

Caregivers will enjoy Health Notes with easy to read, fun and interesting articles which will help them reach their goals…

  • Be the first to hear about fast-breaking health news and hard-to-find tips for improving emotional, physical and financial well-being of caregivers and their families.
  • Save money with discounted services and product coupons
  • Get straight talk that shatters the myths and misconceptions about physical and emotional health.
  • Learn proven approaches for helping you cope with daily frustrations

Unlike static web-sites, this e-newsletter is interactive, allowing you to leave comments, ask questions and even message others with your own tried and true suggestions for coping with the challenges of caregiving.

Together we can reduce the emotional burdens and personal distress of caregivers, promote a more positive outlook and enhance the feeling of being able to cope.

Service and Product Listings
This will be a quarterly list given to all in the Corporate Direct Program with the names of product and service companies who have committed to help the life of a caregiver.

Five years ago this group took note of the plight of the caregiver. We’ve made remarkable progress on Long Island over this time.

We believe that the Corporate Direct Program will, with your participation, expand by several times the outreach to and the caring for caregivers.

220 Berry Hill Road
Syosset, NY 11791
Ph: 516-921-0755
Fax: 516-350-6410

© Copyright 2012, Caring for the Caregiver. All rights reserved.