Tag: caregiver burnout

EOLPodcast

Ep. 512 Navigating a Life-Changing Diagnosis: Action Steps with Hsien Seow PhD

kwyattmd

Learn about a helpful workbook and a free workshop toolkit to support people who are navigating a life-changing diagnosis.

My return guest Dr. Hsien Seow is a palliative care researcher and a professor in the Department of Oncology at McMaster University. He is a co-host with Sammy Winemaker MD of The Waiting Room Revolution Podcast and they are both the authors of the book Hope for the Best Plan for the Rest. Today we discuss the new workbook that accompanies the book and a workshop toolkit they are offering at no charge. Learn more at the website:

waitingroomrevolution.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Why Hsien and Sammy created a workbook for their book
  • What the workbook consists of – reflections, exercises, FAQ’s
  • The power of learning from one another about navigating illness
  • The Ambassador Program and the free downloadable workshop that people can access and teach to others
  • Toolkit included with the “workshop in a box”
  • The goal is to create empowered patients and families
  • Why the workshop toolkit would work well for doulas and hospice providers
  • This information is for caregivers and loved ones as well as patients
  • The public health palliative care approach to illness
  • International audience reaction to the book
  • The value of “relational care” in the medical setting

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, and to Molly Byock for buying me a lot of coffee and Aralyn Hughes who made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 468 Supporting Family Caregivers: Notes from the Field with Gabrielle Elise Jimenez

kwyattmd

Learn some tips and tools for offering support to family caregivers tending a loved one on hospice.

My return guest Gabby Jimenez is a hospice nurse, end-of-life doula, death and dying educator, author and blogger. She is the author/co-author of numerous books, including Dignity Day and The Doula Tool Kit and the host of The Hospice Heart community on Facebook. In today’s conversation she shares her thoughts about how to support family caregivers through some of the overwhelming issues they face while caring for a loved one. We address our concerns for the well-being of family caregivers and offer some tips for improving their experience with hospice and easing their subsequent grief after death occurs. Learn more at her website:

thehospiceheart.net

Get Gabby’s books here

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Major issues for family caregivers tending a loved one on hospice care
  • How lack of training for caregivers leads to fears of not doing the right thing and lingering guilt after death
  • What to say to reassure a family caregiver
  • The importance of slowing down and listening deeply to the concerns of the caregiver
  • Tools and tips for supporting a family caregiver

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my latest supporters Heather Capuana and Paul, and to Peg Hofmann for joining the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 369 Practical Tools for Home Caregivers with Barbara Karnes RN

kwyattmd

Learn useful tips for caring for a dying loved one at home and how to be better prepared for the challenge.

My special return guest is Barbara Karnes RN, hospice nurse, author, thought leader, and expert on end-of-life care. Barbara is going to be a recurring guest from now on, joining the podcast every other month to talk about hospice care. Today we discuss practical tools that caregivers need in order to care for themselves and their loved ones at the end of life. Barbara has written a new guide for caregivers called By Your Side that offers a tremendous number of resources and practical tips and she’ll share many of them with us today. Learn more about Barbara’s work at her website:

www.bkbooks.com

Get By Your Side here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • The needs of caregivers are often overlooked by both hospital and hospice staffs
  • What caregivers need to know about food intake for patients at the end of life
  • The importance of keeping a written record of patient’s status throughout the day because it’s too hard to remember
  • The impact of sleep deprivation and fatigue on caregivers including lack of patience and flexibility
  • Why self-care for caregivers is essential and not selfish
  • How to set boundaries with a patient and why they are necessary
  • It’s not a failure to decide that home caregiving is too difficult
  • Why understanding the dying process is important for caregivers
  • How to find support in your community as a caregiver
  • How care of patients with dementia differs from other hospice patients
  • Basic information about pain management and symptom control

Links mentioned in this episode:

Buy me a coffee

Donate on Paypal

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest patron Donna Fleming, and to those who have bought me a coffee and made a donation through Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 340 Caregiver Crisis: Meeting the Needs of the Future with Jessica Zitter MD

kwyattmd

Learn about the current crisis in family caregiving and what you can do to help.

My guest Dr. Jessica Zitter is a specialist in Critical Care and Palliative Care medicine and the author of the book Extreme Measures: Finding a Better Path to the End of Life. Her work is featured in the documentary Extremis as well as her new film, Caregiver: A Love Story. Today she discusses the current crisis situation for family caregivers who are drastically overworked with little support. This is one of the most important topics we can address for the future! Learn more at these websites:

www.jessicazitter.com

www.caregiveralovestory.com

Read the transcript here. Watch video on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • What inspired Jessica to create Caregiver: A Love Story
  • How film is a compelling medium for encouraging people to change their behavior
  • How medical providers are often unaware of the stresses facing family caregivers
  • More people are now dying at home than in the hospital which means there is huge need for caregivers
  • 1 out of 5 Americans is caring for a loved one at home
  • The burden experienced by caregivers is physical, mental and financial
  • We need a workplace culture that supports caregivers
  • Family caregivers are providing billions of dollars of unpaid work for an average of 4.5 years
  • Hospitals and doctors are doing a poor job of preparing caregivers for the tasks they will face – The Care Act requires them to provide education (but it’s not happening)
  • Hospice staffs are also burdened by the caregiver crisis
  • We also need to build up and support professional paid caregivers

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu! Your contributions make all the difference.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 337 The Hospice Doctor’s Widow: A Caregiver’s Journal with Jennifer O’Brien

kwyattmd

Learn about a beautiful, artistic journal that explores the caregiver’s journey through dying and grief.

My guest this week is Jennifer O’Brien, author of the creative, gorgeous journal: The Hospice Doctor’s Widow. She discusses her journey as she cared for her husband who was a hospice and palliative care physician diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. We talk about grief and loss and caregiving in this intimate conversation. Learn more at her website:

www.hospicedrswidow.com

Get the book here

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Why this book is ideal for caregivers and people dealing with grief
  • How Jennifer created the art for the book
  • How Jennifer incorporated her husband’s wisdom into the book
  • What is “Precious Time” and how did that inform the way she and Bob spent his last days of life together
  • Navigating anticipatory grief for caregivers
  • Why the patient and the caregiver are going through two different processes
  • Why the survivors’ journey can be more difficult than the patient’s journey
  • What is the Triad of Certainty
  • Advice for caregivers
  • The At Peace Toolkit – A Guide to Being at Peace with End of Life

‘Precious Time’ is when you say what you need to say and don’t say what you will later regret.”

from The Hospice Doctor’s Widow by Jennifer O’Brien
  • A Year of Reading Dangerously – Register here
  • Get the At Peace Toolkit from Jennifer here

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my new patrons G. Thackrey and Mary Susan Graham! Your contributions make all the difference.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 293 When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A Step by Step Guide with Leslie Kernisan MD

kwyattmd

Learn about a helpful guidebook for people caring for elderly parents that addresses all the major challenges.

My guest Dr. Leslie Kernisan is a practicing geriatrician and the founder of the popular aging health website and podcast Better Health While Aging. She recently published the book When Your Aging Parent Needs Help to answer the many questions she has received from people struggling to care for their elderly parents. She shares many of the helpful tools and resources included in the book for dealing with our most pressing issues when we become involved in providing care to our older loved ones. Learn more at her website:

www.betterhealthwhileaging.net

Get the book here

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Why good communication skills are important in caring for our parents
  • How to approach a challenging subject (e.g. the COVID vaccine) with reluctant elders
  • Remembering to respect what matters to our elders (your goals vs your parents’ goals)
  • What to say when the conversation hasn’t gone well
  • How to negotiate doctor visits with your parents: what to bring, what to ask
  • Self-care tips for caregivers feeling the strain of dealing with parents
  • When to let go and accept things as they are instead of trying to be perfect caregivers
  • What to do if parents become paranoid and blame you for things
  • Steps and tips to slow brain health decline due to Alzheimer’s

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes! Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu! Your contributions make all the difference!

EOLPodcast

Ep. 285 Laughter Yoga: Antidote to Burnout with Janet Carroll RN

kwyattmd

Learn about the power of laughter to reverse the effects of stress, improve our health and prevent burnout.

My guest Janet Carroll has had a dual career with 48 years in nursing and 35 years as a massage therapist, which have given her not only decades of experience in health services, but also a special insight into wellbeing. She is also a certified Laughter Yoga Leader and Instructor and will share today how laughter can help us improve our health, prevent burnout, and find deeper joy in life. In addition, I will be hosting a free experiential webinar with Janet on Laughter Yoga on February 17th! Learn more about her work at her website:

www.janetcarrollrn.com

Janet-Carroll-4-slide-presentation-1Download

Register for the FREE webinar here!

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • What exactly is laughter
  • Why you don’t have to be happy in order to laugh
  • The history of Laughter Yoga
  • The catastrophic effects of stress on the body and how laughter counteracts them
  • The benefits of laughter for individuals and groups
  • How Laughter Yoga can help prevent burnout
  • Why it’s better to laugh out loud than to laugh internally
  • What you’ll learn at the upcoming FREE webinar with Janet

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes! Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest supporters Jen Davidson, Alissa Silva and Brittany J. Ellis! Your contributions make all the difference!

EOLPodcast

Ep. 275 Training Caregivers to Meet the Needs of a Loved One with Roz Jones

kwyattmd

Learn how and why we need to train many more family and paid caregivers to meet the needs of our aging population, especially during COVID-19.

My guest Roz Jones is the founder of Jacksonville’s Best Caregivers, an organization in Jacksonville FL that provides short and long term caregivers for facilities and families. She is also an author, speaker, crisis counselor and caregiver coach who trains new caregivers and their family members to offer care at home to their ill loved ones. Learn more about her work at her website:

www.thecaregivercafe.net

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Top 6 things brand new caregivers need to learn before they start caring for a loved one
  • How caregiving has changed during COVID-19
  • What precautions family caregivers should take to keep their loved one safe from COVID-19
  • Why setting clear boundaries is one of the most important tips for caregivers to avoid burnout
  • How to have productive conversations with ill loved ones about difficult subjects like advance directives, financial issues, loss of independence, end of life
  • Why “Loneliness Kills” the elderly, how COVID-19 has made it worse, and how to help
  • Self-care tips for caregivers
  • How to train with Roz to be a well-informed and effective family caregiver

Links mentioned in this episode:

  • Subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher Radio
  • Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
  • Join the team at Patreon.com/eolu and get access to the EOLU mug: “Mind if we talk about death?” (only Patrons can purchase it). PLUS get our new bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes! Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest supporter Jaime Byrne and renewing supporter Nancy Walker! Your contributions make all the difference!