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Caregivers often experience a series of common emotions in the process of providing care. When we don’t address these emotions, they can have an impact on physical and mental health.
This February, in the spirit of love, the Caregiver Teleconnection will host a special series to provide a forum for caregivers to discuss complex feelings and emotional experiences, along with practical tips and answers to common questions. Sessions will be guided by public health professional Dr. Elliot Montgomery Sklar and social worker Lucy Barylak. At the end of each session, Elliot and Lucy will stay on the line and offer personal support.
The Caregiver Teleconnection is an education and support program, available online or telephone only, that provides access to experts in the field – all at no cost to participants. The Caregiver Teleconnection is a program of the WellMed Charitable Foundation.
A Series of Emotions: How to cope with Fear
Feb. 6 at 10:00 a.m. CST
Coping with the declining health of someone around us can trigger fear – fear about what is to come and even fear about our own health. This session will address coping with ongoing fear and anxiety.
A Series of Emotions: How to deal with anger:
Feb. 13 at 10:00 a.m. CST
Many of us feel frustrated, overwhelmed, and angry at times along the caregiving journey. Interpersonal conflict can also surface when it comes to sharing responsibilities and making difficult decisions. This session will address healthy ways to deal with anger and conflict.
A Series of Emotions: How to Handle Uncertainty
Feb. 20 at 10:00 a.m. CST
One thing for certain is that being a caregiver comes with a lot of uncertainty! It’s hard to know what’s around the corner and how to plan for the unknown. This interactive session will address how to cope with the uncertainty we all feel at times, and we’ll talk about making informed decisions.
How to Process Sadness
Feb. 27 at 10:00 a.m. CST
Sadness is something difficult for most of us to process and cope with, and a hard thing to talk about – which is why we have a dedicated session in this series to discuss the importance of sadness. We’ll also explore anticipatory grief – a common experience of caregivers.
The Speakers
Lucy Barylak received her master’s degree in social work from McGill University and has dedicated her career to supporting caregivers. Lucy was the founder and long-standing manager of the Caregiver Support Centre at the CLSC Rene-Cassin, a multi-service respite program for family caregivers and oversaw transference of knowledge for programs including Caregiving, Mental Health, Elder Abuse, and Palliative Care. In 2003 and 2012, she received the Queen’s Jubilee Award, presented by the Canadian Homecare Association, and awarded on the basis her dedication in developing a national coalition to support the issues and challenges facing informal caregivers. Barylak also co-edited a book on caregiving issues entitled: Responding Creatively to the Needs of Caregivers: A Resource for Health Care Professionals published by Editions Saint-Martin (2002). In 2018, she was author to a chapter in Marguerite Blais, Minister of Seniors in Quebec, and Rosette Pipar’s book titled: De la proche aidance a la bienveillance published by Marcel Broquet (2018). She has been a key architect of screening and assessment tools for family caregivers, and she provides trainings for health care professionals across North America on the use of these tools. Lucy is also a consultant for private industry, which includes work with the WellMed Charitable Foundation and clinics in Texas. Lucy is also a liaison supervisor at the School of Social Work at McGill University