In the Spotlight

TeleCaregiving—Learning from the Comfort of Home

Last November, caregivers from across California picked up a telephone and were instantly connected to the first TeleCaregiving Workshop offered by California’s Caregiver Resource Centers (CRCs). From Eureka to San Diego and San Francisco to Bishop, caregivers from all over the state came together—without leaving their homes or offices.

Educational workshops for caregivers are regularly sponsored by all 11 of the CRCs at no or very low cost. However, barriers to attendance exist for many caregivers, including geographic challenges (distance to meeting places), scheduling conflicts, and trouble locating alternative care for a loved one. Many caregivers feel bound to their homes. Physical disabilities, rural locales, or lack of transportation also make it difficult for some caregivers to attend workshops in person.

Telecommunication now makes it possible to receive education without disrupting caregiving routines and without requiring caregivers to leave the place where they provide care.

So far, three TeleCaregiving workshops have been offered:

  • Caring Together! Practical Tips for Sharing Caregiver Responsibilities with Siblings
    Donna Schempp, LCSW, Director of Programs and Services, Bay Area CRC
  • I Went Home for the Holidays and Was Shocked! Practical Tips for Long-Distance Caregivers
    Shawn Herz, MSG, MFT, Director of Program Development, Los Angeles CRC
  • There Must Be A Better Way Than This! Practical Tips for Communicating with People with Dementia
    Beth Logan, MSW, Education Specialist, California CRCs

In these workshops, listeners tuned in as the experts offered practical tips on caregiving. Follow-up surveys revealed that participants found the new TeleCaregiving service to be very effective. Overall, caregivers found the program to be helpful and said they would attend another TeleCaregiving Workshop in the future. Many respondents reported that they appreciate the option to learn via telephone because of their caregiving responsibilities, saying it is too difficult to leave the home to attend a program in the community.

If you’re interested in participating in this new learning experience, watch this newsletter to see when the next sessions will be held. They’re free, easy and couldn’t be more convenient!

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