Caregiving isn't easy…

It can feel like a full time job on top of another job. Some employees work all day and then head home to do it all over again. I know because I've been there.

If you lead an organization or group of people who experience caregiving, there are ways you can help. 

Of course,  you need your team to show up and show out regardless of their situations at home. That's the nature of the beast. But what do you do when the beast keeps winning and your employees or members show up tired, stressed out, and disheveled?

WEll...you've got options... 

1. You could leave them to their own devices and let them work through things on their own as best they can.
   - OR -

2. You can realize the value you can bring to their lives by helping them solve a huge direct problem for them that's creating indirect problems for you.

With a few modifications, my 6 module guide works just as well as a half day, in-person group workshop.

I designed the Ultimate Caregiver Guide for self-paced study or group workshops. We believe that businesses, organizations like churches, and even neighborhood communities can benefit from either. To help you help the people you care about, we offer two great options:

Here's exactly what your group members will learn in each module...

You'll understand the art and science of caregiving, how to gauge your readiness, and how to break down mindset barriers that block good decision-making. After this module, you'll:

• Have a clear sense of the caregiver role and the impact this relationship will have on all stakeholders

• Be armed to have a meaningful conversation with your loved one (if possible) to discuss his/her desire for care

• Develop a list of key stakeholders who are essential to sustained caregiving--you'll be shocked how well this goes!

• Understand how to start honest dialogues about your feelings, desires, concerns, and questions with stakeholders

• Understand the importance of active listening and note taking skills when conversing with key stakeholders

• Respond better to stakeholders' verbal and non-verbal cues

• Make clear, logical decisions about becoming an in-home caregiver, knowing that the decision you make is best for you, the loved one, and all stakeholders

• Be equipped to live with the consequences of your decision

Next we'll lay the foundation. In order to build an effective foundation as a caregiver, you need to know where the tools are. In this module, you'll:

• Learn about your resources, strengths, and weaknesses

• Master communication techniques to share your thoughts, fears, and concerns with your loved one (when possible)

• Understand how to approach medical experts for advice and resources you need to care for your loved one

• Unlock templates for essential lists and documents to preserve crucial information about the loved one (i.e., vital sign logs, medication lists, journals, etc.)

• Gain access to, and understand, our essential docs library with DNR orders, Living Wills, Power of Attorney, and more to help you conduct business transactions or make decisions with your loved one without getting stuck in legal nonsense

• Discover tips and tricks about how and where to keep your ledgers, who gets access to each, and what to do when you're not available, because let's get real, every now and then, you might be away but someone needs to access a document

You can only do so much alone. You're going to need help, and this module shows you how to go get it. After this module, you'll:

• Brainstorm a working support list of diverse--not the diversity you're thinking--supporters

• Build an honest laundry list of the help you need to survive and be an effective caregiver

• Leverage simple communication techniques to have meaningful discussions with potential supporters and ask for help even if that's hard for you

• Create a task chart to help you make respectful decisions when managing and delegating tasks to your network

• Unlock word for word scripts to help handle difficult support members and share messages of concern without causing fireworks

• Managing people is 10% them and 90% you. Use our personality testing tools to help you better understand your support network and their unique blend of personality traits.

To deliver on your promise of quality care, you'll need to master  budgeting and managing your loved one's assets, accounts, and monthly expenses. In this module, you'll:

• Gain unlimited access to our essential docs library with templates for budgeting expenses and word for word scripts to speak with lawyers, CPAs, vendors, banks, and more

• Master the core elements of planning for the financial well-being of your loved one and yourself

• Leverage the power of effective organization to manage monthly and yearly expenses in a detailed manner so that you can handle those (sometimes) pesky government bodies like the Social Security Administration and the IRS

• Learn how to develop a running list of all assets and insurances so that they are readily available when needed

• Break through money mindset barriers to have effective conversations about money, first with yourself, and then with your loved one and key stakeholders

As hard as things get, nothing is worse for you, your loved one, or the network of supporters that have come to trust your leadership than a burned out caregiver. In this module, you'll:

• Learn the importance of your role in the caregiving process and the reasons why taking care of yourself are just as important as taking care of your loved one--here's something you've heard, but might not truly believe: IT'S NOT SELFISH 

• Discover tips and tricks--ones I learned the hard way--about how to take care of yourself and relax, regardless of your discretionary income

• Understand how to network within your support system to get valuable R&R time to recuperate and rev up for the next adventure

• Master simple, but effective, psychological tools to avoid feeling guilty and instead say "Heck yeah!" to help and opportunitites for R&R when someone offers it, even if you weren't expecting it

Transitions don't always involve death. Some transitions require a need to evaluate out of home placement for your loved one. When any transition happens, the caregiving process takes a wallop and you need to know how to handle this. In this module, you'll:

• Understand the stages of separation or grief

• Master how to effectively plan for aftercare arrangements (funeral expenses, burial fees, or the costs of transition to out of home care, etc.)

• Learn how to work with an attorney or executor to distribute your loved one's assets--you HAVE to plan for this in advance or you're in for a doozy of a hard time

• Unlock tips and tricks to help you understand and settle disputes with family, friends, and foes

• Discover methods to move forward with your life with continued purpose, joy, and energy