Five years ago, social worker Julie Weckel was a caregiver for a family member when she was approached to teach a caregiving class.  She saw it as an opportunity to sharpen her understanding of the challenges faced by caregivers, a topic that held her interest. After extensive research she put together a caregiving manual, taught the class, and has been focusing on caregiving issues ever since through her metro Detroit consulting business, Geriatric Connections. 

More recently Weckel, along with her partner Judy Fitch, became certified to lead Powerful Tools for Caregivers, an evidence-based program developed out of Stanford University.  The program focuses on three main areas: reducing the stress brought on by caregiving; empowering caregivers; and providing caregivers with coping strategies.  The main goal of the program is to teach caregivers how to deal with the various stressors that are common for people caring for others who have physical or cognitive impairments.

Many people who are caregivers do not recognize themselves as caregivers, Weckel said.  The majority of caregivers are women age 38 to 62 caring for a parent or spouse.  Many of them unknowingly face the risks associated with caregiving, brought on by stress and other factors, she said.

“Professionals and non-professional caregivers have a higher risk of premature death and significant illness,” said Weckel.  “Family caregivers also have significantly higher rates of depression.”  Powerful Tools for Caregivers teaches techniques such as deep breathing relaxation to relieve physical and emotional stress, strategies for coping with belligerent or angry parents, various tools to aid communication between the caregiver and recipient, and other ways of dealing with the issues associated with caregiving.

“The biggest issue is recognizing and understanding they’re not alone,” said Weckel of family caregivers.  She said many have feelings of guilt and anger, and can benefit from learning to deal with those emotions in a healthy way.

While Powerful Tools for Caregivers was primarily developed for family caregivers, Weckel and Fitch have had professional caregivers complete the program as well.  There are two versions of the program currently available: a traditional six-week course that meets one time a week for two and half hours; and a condensed workplace version.  Weckel and Fitch make the program available to community groups, employers and others interested in helping others cope with caregiving.  Weckel said she and Fitch can cater the program to each community’s needs.

For more information, contact Julie Weckel at (269) 313-4002 or geriatricconnections@yahoo.com.