January February 2013 A bi-monthly newsletter published by the Caregiver Support Program The importance of regular maintenance by Josie Padro Caregivers have a lot on their minds. In addition to caring for someone else, they often have a house to maintain, a car to maintain, and various appliances to keep in working order but the two most important things to maintain are your mind and your body. In her book The Art of Extreme Self-Care (Hay House, Inc., 2009), Cheryl Richardson suggests thinking of your body as a classic automobile that needs loving attention to keep running its best. The first step, she writes, in self-maintenance is to reflect on your current state of health. Is there something you should get checked out? A lump? An ache? A change in your usual eating pattern? Once you ve stopped to think of how you are doing, you can take steps to ensure that you stay healthy: Book a physical exam. These days the yearly physical exam has gone by the wayside, but health problems, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, can be present for a long time without showing any signs. Even if they re not be bothering you, these conditions can have serious consequences if they aren t addressed. If you do have a medical condition, be sure it s being monitored by a health care provider. (continued page 2) The Caregiver Support Program offers a range of programs and activities: family caregiver network groups stress management and relaxation workshops telephone support and individual consultation educational workshops information and referral to community services library with books, videos, and other educational resources
January February 2013 Page 2 The importance of regular maintenance continued from page 1 Visit the dentist. Regular visits are the best way to avoid expensive and painful dental procedures. See a physiotherapist. If you have back pain or a joint that s giving you trouble, you may get relief through some physiotherapy. Many extended benefit plans cover physiotherapy with a doctor s referral. Have a eye exam. The Canadian Ophthalmology Society advises us to see an ophthalmologist right away for any of the following symptoms: pain, swelling, discharge in or around your eyes, as well as any changes in your vision, visual field, or colour perception. Check your hearing. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends having a hearing test every two years. Look after your feet. Those with diabetes, poor circulation or other medical conditions have to make a special effort to keep their feet free from wounds and infection. That means investing in comfortable shoes and paying attention to any painful areas. Check your feet every day and see your health care practitioner, podiatrist or foot care nurse if any problems arise. Get screened. Women in BC between the ages of 40 and 70 are eligible for free yearly mammograms as part of the BC Cancer Agency s Screening Mammography program. Results are mailed to you and you are sent a reminder when your next one is due. To book an appointment, call 604-877-6187 or visit www.smpbc.ca. The BC Cancer Agency recommends women have regular Pap tests yearly for three consecutive years; if there are no abnormal results they can be done every two years. Pap tests may not be necessary after age 69 if you ve never had an abnormal result. The BC Cancer Agency advises men over age 55 to consider Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) testing. Find out more about PSA screening at the BC Cancer Agency website, www.bccancer.bc.ca. The Art of Extreme Self-Care is available at North Vancouver District Public Library and the West Vancouver Memorial Library. Caregiving fact 26% of Canadians report having cared for a family member or close friend with a serious health problem in the last 12 months, with 22% of these people missing one or more months of work and 41% using personal savings. Canadian Caregiver Coalition, 2008
The Family Caregivers Grapevine Page 3 January 2013 Calendar of Events Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 Caregiver Network Group 7-9 pm 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Caregiver Network Group 10:30-12:30 17 18 19 Preparing for Transitions 1:30-4pm 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Caregiver Network Groups We meet each month in two groups: the first Thursday of the month from 7:00 to 9:00 pm and the second Wednesday of the month from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. Meet other caregivers who are having similar experiences. Learn how to access health care and community services; take the time to care for yourself; increase your confidence in your caregiving skills. Network groups meet at North Shore Community Resources, Room 203, Capilano Mall, 935 Marine Drive, North Vancouver. Special Sessions Thursday Network Group, January 3, Re-awakening the self: connecting more powerfully with who you are and what you love, with counsellor Catherine Pigeon-James. Wednesday Network Group, February 13, Natural Remedies for Stress Reduction with Naturopath Dr. Julie Durnan.
January February 2013 Page 4 Preparing for Transitions In this session participants will learn about a number of topics: making care decisions: having effective conversations with family members and coping with resistance exploring options for supported housing and facility care making decisions together that reflect your shared priorities and respect different views honouring times of change: recognizing the needs of all people involved Preparing for Transitions will be facilitated by Wendy Johnstone, gerontologist and eldercare planner with Keystone ElderCare Solutions. Using a considerate and thorough approach, Wendy offers families tools and guidance to successfully navigate life transitions that are often complex and stressful. Thursday, January 17, 1:00 to 3:30 pm. Garden room, main floor, West Vancouver Community Health Centre, 2121 Marine Drive, West Vancouver. Finding Balance Gain renewed perspective. Learn ways to release difficult emotions. Explore strategies for coping when you feel overwhelmed with guilt and uncertainty. Connect with your creativity and intuition to make steps in selfdevelopment. Presented by Cheryl Brewster, a dynamic speaker and consultant on intuitive living and listening to the power of inner knowing. She provides a safe and fun environment to stretch comfort zones, and build confidence and self-awareness. Friday, February 1, 2012, 9:30 am to 12:00. Silk Purse Art Centre, 1570 Argyle Avenue, West Vancouver. Creativity Series Set free your inner artist and explore different ways to express yourself in this three week series, Thursdays, from 6:30 to 8:30 at West Vancouver Community Health Centre, 2121 Marine Drive, West Vancouver. February 14: Painting with local artist Mary Touhey. Paint in a safe environment where discovery is encouraged. Explore colour and texture with acrylic paints. Connect with selfexpression and gain a renewed awareness of your own creativity. February 21: Tuning up and Tuning in with Lennie Tan music therapist. The session will explore sound and tone, ways to relax and energize using music, and awareness of what nourishes your well-being February 28: What moves you? Carrie Macleod, conflict resolution leader and dancer, will explore how movement and rhythm can create renewed vitality. Explore what inspires you to dance, what kinds of movement energizes you, and new ways of connecting with yourself and others.
The Family Caregivers Grapevine Page 5 February 2013 Calendar of Events Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Finding Balance 9:30-12:00 Silk Purse 2 3 4 5 6 7 Caregiver Network Group 7:00-9:00 pm 8 9 10 11 12 13 Caregiver Network Group 10:30-1:30 pm 14 Creativity Series Week 1 6:30-8:30 pm West Van CC 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Creativity Series Week 2 6:30-8:30 pm West Van CC 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Creativity Series Week 6:30-8:30 pm West Van CC Tell three people (today) how much you love them.you may find that as you get used to it letting people know how much you love them will become a regular part of your life. It probably won t shock you to know that, if it does, you ll probably begin receiving more love as a result. From Don t Sweat the Small Stuff...and it s all small stuff, by Richard Carlson The Caregiver Support Program is for people who are caring for an adult friend or family member. You are a caregiver if you assist someone in any of these ways: coordinating care, providing emotional support, assisting with decisions, doing housework or preparing meals, providing personal care. We offer education sessions, network groups, information and consultation related to the emotional and practical aspects of caregiving. For information and registration regarding all sessions, please contact Karyn by email at karyn.davies@nscr.bc.ca or by phone at 604-982-3320.
January February 2013 Page 6 Share your thoughts and experiences here Tax Tips for Caregivers Caregivers and the person they care for may qualify for a number of tax deductions. The following are only a few examples: Caregivers have a lot of wisdom and experience. We would like to invite our readers to share those experiences with each other here in the Caregiver Grapevine: whether it s a short anecdote, a coping strategy, a poem or any information you think would be of interest or useful to other caregivers. We hope this will be a good opportunity for our caregivers to learn from each other. Sometimes it can be a comfort just knowing that others are going through the same thing. Here s an example: A daily back rub is not only a hands-on comfort measure, but also helps prevent skin break down. It s a good opportunity to check the skin for signs of pressure sores or any other problems. If you have something to share, send us an email to karyn.davies@nscr.bc.ca or call us at 604-982-3320 Caregiver Tax Credit You may be eligible for a tax credit if you live with the person you are caring for. You may also split the claim if you and another person share the caregiving. Disability Tax Credit To qualify for the Disability Tax Credit a person must submit a Disability Tax Credit Certificate, a section of which must be filled out by a health professional. Medical Expenses Credit You can claim expenses for a whole range of medical costs including equipment, medication and treatment. North Shore Community Resources provides an income tax preparation service for people with low incomes. To find out if you qualify call 604-985-7138. Thanks to Gabrielle M. Loren, CGA, of Loren, Nancke and Company, for the information.
The Family Caregivers Grapevine Page 7 Along with the physical activity of pounding away on a percussion instrument, drumming also brings people together into a community. The Fall drumming sessions were such a success, we hope to schedule additional sessions in the New Year. Lifelong Learning Learning new things does more than keep the synapses firing. It keeps us involved with our community and helps us develop new skills that keep us engaged in life. Drumming Fun Our fall drumming workshops where a huge success. Participants in both the men s and women s drum circles enjoyed the hands-on experience of creating rhythms. Capilano University s Eldercollege, for those 55 and older, offers an amazing selection of courses in its fall and spring terms. The Eldercollge Open House will be having an open house on January 12, 10:30 to 12:30, in The benefits of drumming have been in the the Student Union Lounge, of the Capilano spotlight lately. In 2012, research published in University Library Building. For more the scientific journal Evolutionary Psychology information contact them at showed that singing, dancing and drumming conted@capilanou.ca or at 604-984-4901. all trigger endorphin release. They concluded The North Shore Multicultural Society, Silver that it s the physical activity of producing Harbour Centre and the West Vancouver music that creates the endorphin high, a feelseniors Activity Centre all offer workshops good effect that doesn t occur to the same and lectures, as do North Shore public degree by passively listening to music. libraries. Dean Rath, who last fall conducted the Of course, there s lots to learn on line the drumming workshop for male caregivers, says Canadian Virtual University, www.cvu-uvc.ca, drumming connects us to our primal feelings. offers programs through several Canadian Drumming itself is just very powerful and universities and for more informal learning, moving, he says. try a TED Talk, www.ted.com.
The Power of Pictures North Shore Community Resources Caregiver Support Program Suite 201, 935 Marine Dr. North Vancouver, BC V7P 1S3 The Family Caregivers Grapevine is a bimonthly publication that seeks to support family caregivers by promoting the importance of selfcare and providing practical information. If you have any questions or feedback about the newsletter, please contact Josie Padro by email at josie.padro@nscr.bc.ca or by phone at 604-985- 7138, local 106. Wednesday Network Group shares laughter and feasting We sometimes take pictures at our caregiver sessions. It s a great way to record the activities. As well, the photos allow us to document what we do in the Caregiver Support Program. We may use images in our grant applications, printed materials or on our website. Before we use a photograph for any reason we will ask for permission from those in the photo. By allowing us to use the photo you will be helping us demonstrate what the Caregiver Support Program is all about and why its continuation is so important. Resources for Family Caregivers BC 211 Info Line...211 Capilano Community Services Society...604-988-7115 Crisis Line (24/7)...604-872-3311 Health Link Nurse Line (24/7)...811 Lions Gate Hospice Society...604-988-2312 Lions Gate Hospital...604-988-3131 North Shore Disability Resource Centre...604-985-5371 North Shore Home and Community Care...604-986-7111 North Shore Grief Recovery...604-979-1600 North Shore Palliative Care Program...604-984-3743 Seniors Peer Support Program...604-987-8138 Older Adult Mental Health...604-904-6200 Seniors One Stop...604-983-3303 or 604-925-7474