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   The Caring Circle

   An online newsletter to connect   and inform English-speaking caregivers in the Quebec City region

 

December 2014

Welcome to The Caring Circle

Welcome to the Caring Circle from Jeffery Hale Community Partners. This free e-newsletter is for English-speaking caregivers in the Quebec City region. A caregiver is someone like you who provides care to family members or friends, whether they be near or far.


The important work of caregiving, be it physical assistance or emotional support, can be both rewarding and challenging. Caregivers can learn from one another and be a great source of mutual support. Through this e-newsletter and activities for caregivers, we help to connect, support and inform. By sharing and learning together, we can enlarge our local circle of care.

Seasons Greetings,

 

The holiday season is quickly approaching. This festive time of year can be filled with expectations for joyous family gatherings sadly our expectations often create more stress than happiness. Caregivers need to stay focused on what's really important and let go of what isn't all year round but especially during the month of December. If your holiday traditions are causing you stress, try something different this year. Focus on yuletide stresses that you can control. Pace yourself, set your bondaries, decide on some limits and stick to them. Instead of refusing functions altogether go for an hour or two instead of all night. Have a peek at the Mayoclinic's guide to holiday stress management:

www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20047544

 

For goodness sake don't waste time worrying about how things should be. Only in the movies is the house tidy and  beautifully decorated, the turkey moist, the gifts perfectly chosen and wrapped and the conversation meaningful. Most of us experience less than perfect celebrations with some underlining family tension, the occassional dry turkey, dustballs in the corners and gift fiascos! Try to smile and remember these are the incidents that great family stories are made of. Most of all take time to appreciate the wonder and chaos that makes up this special time of year.

 

Blessings to you and your families,

 

Jan Anderson, Community Organizer

on behalf of the Jeffery Hale Community of Care

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Join us on Thursday, December 4 for the next Caring Circle Café 

The Caring Circle Café offers an oasis for English-speaking caregivers to meet, share experiences, recharge their batteries, find resources,  learn new things and enjoy mutual support. 

 


 

Experience the soothing effects of Art Therapy at the next Caring Circle Café  Thursday, December 4 from 9:45 to 11:30 in the Community Art Studio located on the second floor of the Jeffery Hale Pavilion (1250 chemin Ste-Foy, Québec, Qc G1S 2M6)

 

Come and share your experiences with other English-speaking caregivers. Please call Jeffery Hale Community Services to register for this free event: 418 684-5333, ext. 1539. By sharing and learning together, we can all enlarge our local circle of care.

 

Free parking available in JH parking lot. Hot coffee and homemade Stollen (German Christmas bread) await you!

 

If you are reluctant to attend because you cannot leave your loved one alone, please call us so we can find a way to assist you.

 

This activity is made possible thanks to funding from:




Do you Want to Learn more about Alzheimers Disease?

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January is a month dedicated to Alzheimer's Disease awareness. La Société Alzheimer de Québec is again organizing Alzheimer's Awarreness Day on Sunday January 25 2015in the pavillon Pollack-Desjardins pavilion at Laval  University (2325, rue de l'Université)


 

Researchers and specialized doctors will offer information sessions for the general public. A wide variety of support organizations will be present so you can learn more about program and services to assist love ones living with Alzheimer's Disease. Parking and sessions are free.

   

Dial in for LIVE, local teleconferences on a variety of 
caregiving topics en français

Thanks to a grant from L'Appui local caregivers now have access to teleconference calls in the comfort of their own homes from 8 to 9 pm on selected dates. The majority of these conferences take place en français. All you need to do to access the FREE teleconference is to dial 1 866-396-2433 and register. You can view the full schedule by clicking here. 

December 3:  Pour se retrouver face à la maladie mentale

January 12: Compresendre la maladie d'Alzheimer pour meiux                                   accompanger

 

Caregiving can be an emotional rollercoaster ride ... 

 

When you are looking after a loved one, it is normal to experience a whole range of emotions.  Some emotions are related to the illness ravaging the loved one, while others are related to all of the extra tasks which are invading your daily life.

 

Perhaps you experience feelings of sadness while watching the health of your loved one deteriorate.  At other times it could be worry or even anxiety.  Perhaps you feel anger and aggressiveness because you feel trapped in this difficult situation.  All of these emotions can bring on feelings of guilt.  Such emotions are quite normal, and it is important to articulate them to a friend or trusted advisor.  Keeping the emotions locked up only increases the sense of burden attached to care giving.


 

Guilt is an emotion common to nearly all caregivers at one time or other on their journey of care. If you have feelings of inadequacy, inability, or regret for things done or undone, it is possible that you are experiencing  false guilt.

 

You do not need to feel guilty......

  • if you are healthy and your loved one is not;
  • if you take time to relax, laugh, or entertain;
  • if you consider alternative housing arrangements for your loved one;
  • if you do not always enjoy taking care of the other one;
  • if you are not as brave as before in the face of illness;
  • if you cannot accomplish everything yourself, and need outside help;
  • if you absent yourself for a few hours or a few days;
  • if you do not want to take upon yourself the full responsibility of caring for your loved one;
  • if you wish that it would be all over so that you can get back to living a normal life.

 

Source: www.aidant.ca

The Gift of Music  

Music lifts the soul in ways few of us understand. You and your loved ones (especially those with European  backgrounds) may really enjoy two holiday concerts that are being offered in Quebec City this December.
Le Chœur Allemand de Québec and the choir 'Vibrant Voices / Voix Vivantes will joining together in song on Sunday, December 7 at 

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church ( 106 rue Sainte-Anne 

.  A second conert will be offered December 14 in the Espace St-Michel in Sillery. Cake and coffee will be served. For details please click here:  http://vibrantvoicesvoixvivantes.wordpress.com/

 


I
 

Caregiver's Rights

 





 

I Have the Right


  • to show my emotions, to be worn out, angry, depressed or discouraged from time to time
  • to speak about how I feel. however I do not have the right to act violeently;
  • to recognize the limits of my endurance and my strength
  • to ask for help, even when the perosn I cm caring for does not want me to do so;
  • to expect help from others in the family or from community services; to fell unable to take on certain responsibilities or tasks; 
  • to take time for myself and the activities which I enjoy.  I do not have to be on duty 24 hours a day;
  • to be respected in my role of caregiver;
  • to be proud of what I am doing and to applaud the courage that it sometimes takes to do what must be done;
  • to receive encouragement and moral support;
  • -to have access to the services which help me to be a helper;
  • to expect and to request the improvements in the services offered that will respond to my physical and mental needs;
  • to set limits;
  • to say, "No";
  • to refuse to be manipulated through guilt either by the person I am helping or others (deliberately or not);
  • to make mistakes, not to be perfect, not to know how to do everything;
  • to forgive myself;
  • to back off somewhat from the person receiving help;
  • to laugh;
  • to live my own life and not merely to exist because my role of caregiver absorbs all of my time.

 Source: A Guide for Caregivers created by the Maganitic English-speaking Community Developement Corportation 

 
Quick Links  
If you have comments about this newsletter or would like to pass on information to other caregivers or submit an article for our next edition,  please email: janderson@jhpartners.net  
  
 Jan2013                                                                

Jan Anderson, Community Organizer  
Jeffery Hale Community Partners