Selected Podcast
Caregiver Self-Care
Kim Saberi, MSW explains the importance of self-care for a caregiver for someone with dementia.
Featured Speaker:
Kim holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from James Madison University, a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from the University of Memphis and a Masters of Social Work from Salisbury University.
Kim is very passionate about supporting caregivers of people with dementia and educating the community about brain wellness and dementia.
For more information, contact the Memory Disorder Center in Clearwater at 727-398-6025 and in St Petersburg at 727-825-1595
Kim Saberi, MSW
Kim Saberi is a masters-level social worker and Coordinator of the Memory Disorders Center at St Anthony’s Hospital. She is responsible for providing support, education and resources to patients with memory disorders and their families and loved ones.Kim holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from James Madison University, a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from the University of Memphis and a Masters of Social Work from Salisbury University.
Kim is very passionate about supporting caregivers of people with dementia and educating the community about brain wellness and dementia.
For more information, contact the Memory Disorder Center in Clearwater at 727-398-6025 and in St Petersburg at 727-825-1595
Transcription:
Caregiver Self-Care
This is BayCare HealthChat, another podcast from BayCare Health System. Here's Melanie Cole.
Deborah Howell: Welcome to BayCare HealthChat. I'm Deborah Howell, and I invite you to listen as we discuss being a caregiver to a loved one with dementia. Today, we'll find out more about how you can make your own health a priority even as you care for your loved one. I'm joined today by Kim Saberi, the Coordinator of the Memory Disorder Center at St. Anthony's Hospital. Kim, what a pleasure to have you with us today.
Kim Saberi: It's great to be here, Deborah.
Deborah Howell: Well, so caregiving for a loved one with dementia may be the most difficult task of a lifetime. Caregivers can be at higher risk for health issues and psychological distress, and they're often the invisible second patient. So how can caregivers make their own health a priority?
Kim Saberi: Well, many caregivers feel that they don't have time for medical appointments for themselves, but it's super important to make time to address and properly manage their health.
Deborah Howell: Absolutely. And it's so important to focus on nutrition and exercise even during the busiest days, right?
Kim Saberi: That's right, Deborah. It's easy to eat something quick and usually unhealthy when you're super busy, so plan healthy meals in advance. Studies have shown that exercise can be as effective as anti-depressant medication for people with mild to moderate depression. It's also good for brain wellness and stress management. Good nutrition and exercise, it's going to give you more energy, make you healthier and help you feel better both physically and emotionally. And for exercise, it's super important to find something that you enjoy so that you'll actually stick to it. Following the American Heart Associations recommendation, which is 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity cardio exercise, is the way to go.
Deborah Howell: And for me personally, I've just discovered pickleball, which is a lot of older Americans are starting to play that because they love it. You can do it quickly and it helps you socialize with people you might not meet. And, you know, something like that, something you really enjoy will absolutely help you stick to your routine.
Now, good mental health for caregivers is often in jeopardy and studies show that depression and anxiety are high for dementia caregivers. What can we do about this?
Kim Saberi: Well, research shows that the most effective treatment for depression is a combination of antidepressant medication and talk therapy. So try connecting with a counselor or caregiver support groups. You can talk to supportive friends and family, and you can connect with the social worker at the Memory Disorders Support Group. And you can connect with a social worker at a Memory Disorders Support Center.
The Alzheimer's Association, now they provide education and support for all types of dementia, not just Alzheimer's disease. Their website is alz.org, and you can go on there to find support groups in your local area or online support groups. They also have a 24/7 hotline and their number is 1-800-272-3900.
Just as you were talking about with the pickle ball, it's super important to schedule time for you and do what you enjoy. Socialization and time for yourself are super important. Taking time for hobbies, lunch with friends, yoga, cards, walks in nature. And you should schedule these activities ahead of time and put them on your calendar because they're important, just like a doctor's appointment.
Deborah Howell: Absolutely. If you don't do that, chances are you'll say, "Oh, the other person's more important." But if you put it on the calendar and stick to it, you're going to really help yourself. Now, this all sounds great, but what do you do with your loved one if they can't be left alone.
Kim Saberi: Well, ask for help and be specific. Many times, secondary caregivers tell primary caregivers, "Let me know what I can do to help." And then the primary caregiver feels like no one's helping them and they're completely overwhelmed. So people want to help, but they don't always know what to do and they don't want to step on the toes of the person who's taking on the primary caregiving. So what I found is that the primary caregiver needs to be really specific with what their needs are.
Some ideas, you can ask family members to commit to one evening a week that she'll come over and sit with the loved one with dementia or maybe one weekend a month where they can take the loved one with dementia to their house for the weekend. Other ways that secondary caregivers can help out is by maybe managing the person with dementia's finances or doing the cooking or bringing groceries.
Also another thing that you can do if your loved one can't be left alone is consider a private duty aide or an adult day center. So a private duty aide or a senior companion, they can help with activities of daily living like bathing, grooming, dressing, eating, but they can also help with light housekeeping and provide social and cognitive engagement for your loved one.
An adult day center, that's going to be a place where you'd take your loved one for the day or for half a day where they'll get plenty of socialization and cognitive stimulation in a safe environment. And they're set up for people with dementia to be successful because they have activities geared toward their current level of functioning. It gives caregivers a break and time to focus on self-care.
And one other thing to consider if your loved one, if they're still okay to be left alone, but you worry about them when you aren't there, you can consider using indoor cameras. You can connect the cameras to WiFi and download an app on your smartphone where you can view the rooms where the cameras are set up, hear what's going on. And you can also talk to the people in those rooms through the app.
Deborah Howell: Those are some really, really great ideas. Now, this one is a very sensitive topic, Kim. It's about considering placement for a loved one. Can you speak to this?
Kim Saberi: Sure. Sometimes loved ones can be exhibiting challenging behaviors at home. And it may be because the world they're living in is just too big for them. So it might take a month or two to adjust, but time after time, I've seen where the person with dementia who was very unhappy at home, ends up smiling again and enjoying life and activities with minimal challenging behaviors because they're in a memory care assisted living facility. And that also allows the caregiver the gift of being able to return to the role of being their loved one's spouse or child and not having to be their caregiver.
Deborah Howell: Oh, that is so key. And then the love can return, right? The different kind of love.
Kim Saberi: That's right.
Deborah Howell: Kim, where can our listeners go to find out more about your services?
Kim Saberi: You can contact the Memory Disorders Center in St. Petersburg at (727) 825-1595 or the Memory Disorder Center in Clearwater at (727) 298-6025.
Deborah Howell: And caregivers, don't be afraid to reach out on your own behalf. You are undergoing an incredibly immense Herculean task of caring for a loved one, and you are worth every bit of kindness you can offer yourself.
Kim Saberi: That's right, Deborah. Well said.
Deborah Howell: Kim, it's been so enlightening to talk to you as always. Thanks for the good information today.
Kim Saberi: Thanks so much for having me.
Deborah Howell: And that wraps up this episode of BayCare HealthChat. Head on over to our website at baycarememories.org for more information, and to get connected with one of our providers. Please remember to subscribe, rate and review this podcast and all the other BayCare podcasts, so we can share the wealth of information from our experts together.
This is Deborah Howell. Have yourself a terrific day.
Caregiver Self-Care
This is BayCare HealthChat, another podcast from BayCare Health System. Here's Melanie Cole.
Deborah Howell: Welcome to BayCare HealthChat. I'm Deborah Howell, and I invite you to listen as we discuss being a caregiver to a loved one with dementia. Today, we'll find out more about how you can make your own health a priority even as you care for your loved one. I'm joined today by Kim Saberi, the Coordinator of the Memory Disorder Center at St. Anthony's Hospital. Kim, what a pleasure to have you with us today.
Kim Saberi: It's great to be here, Deborah.
Deborah Howell: Well, so caregiving for a loved one with dementia may be the most difficult task of a lifetime. Caregivers can be at higher risk for health issues and psychological distress, and they're often the invisible second patient. So how can caregivers make their own health a priority?
Kim Saberi: Well, many caregivers feel that they don't have time for medical appointments for themselves, but it's super important to make time to address and properly manage their health.
Deborah Howell: Absolutely. And it's so important to focus on nutrition and exercise even during the busiest days, right?
Kim Saberi: That's right, Deborah. It's easy to eat something quick and usually unhealthy when you're super busy, so plan healthy meals in advance. Studies have shown that exercise can be as effective as anti-depressant medication for people with mild to moderate depression. It's also good for brain wellness and stress management. Good nutrition and exercise, it's going to give you more energy, make you healthier and help you feel better both physically and emotionally. And for exercise, it's super important to find something that you enjoy so that you'll actually stick to it. Following the American Heart Associations recommendation, which is 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity cardio exercise, is the way to go.
Deborah Howell: And for me personally, I've just discovered pickleball, which is a lot of older Americans are starting to play that because they love it. You can do it quickly and it helps you socialize with people you might not meet. And, you know, something like that, something you really enjoy will absolutely help you stick to your routine.
Now, good mental health for caregivers is often in jeopardy and studies show that depression and anxiety are high for dementia caregivers. What can we do about this?
Kim Saberi: Well, research shows that the most effective treatment for depression is a combination of antidepressant medication and talk therapy. So try connecting with a counselor or caregiver support groups. You can talk to supportive friends and family, and you can connect with the social worker at the Memory Disorders Support Group. And you can connect with a social worker at a Memory Disorders Support Center.
The Alzheimer's Association, now they provide education and support for all types of dementia, not just Alzheimer's disease. Their website is alz.org, and you can go on there to find support groups in your local area or online support groups. They also have a 24/7 hotline and their number is 1-800-272-3900.
Just as you were talking about with the pickle ball, it's super important to schedule time for you and do what you enjoy. Socialization and time for yourself are super important. Taking time for hobbies, lunch with friends, yoga, cards, walks in nature. And you should schedule these activities ahead of time and put them on your calendar because they're important, just like a doctor's appointment.
Deborah Howell: Absolutely. If you don't do that, chances are you'll say, "Oh, the other person's more important." But if you put it on the calendar and stick to it, you're going to really help yourself. Now, this all sounds great, but what do you do with your loved one if they can't be left alone.
Kim Saberi: Well, ask for help and be specific. Many times, secondary caregivers tell primary caregivers, "Let me know what I can do to help." And then the primary caregiver feels like no one's helping them and they're completely overwhelmed. So people want to help, but they don't always know what to do and they don't want to step on the toes of the person who's taking on the primary caregiving. So what I found is that the primary caregiver needs to be really specific with what their needs are.
Some ideas, you can ask family members to commit to one evening a week that she'll come over and sit with the loved one with dementia or maybe one weekend a month where they can take the loved one with dementia to their house for the weekend. Other ways that secondary caregivers can help out is by maybe managing the person with dementia's finances or doing the cooking or bringing groceries.
Also another thing that you can do if your loved one can't be left alone is consider a private duty aide or an adult day center. So a private duty aide or a senior companion, they can help with activities of daily living like bathing, grooming, dressing, eating, but they can also help with light housekeeping and provide social and cognitive engagement for your loved one.
An adult day center, that's going to be a place where you'd take your loved one for the day or for half a day where they'll get plenty of socialization and cognitive stimulation in a safe environment. And they're set up for people with dementia to be successful because they have activities geared toward their current level of functioning. It gives caregivers a break and time to focus on self-care.
And one other thing to consider if your loved one, if they're still okay to be left alone, but you worry about them when you aren't there, you can consider using indoor cameras. You can connect the cameras to WiFi and download an app on your smartphone where you can view the rooms where the cameras are set up, hear what's going on. And you can also talk to the people in those rooms through the app.
Deborah Howell: Those are some really, really great ideas. Now, this one is a very sensitive topic, Kim. It's about considering placement for a loved one. Can you speak to this?
Kim Saberi: Sure. Sometimes loved ones can be exhibiting challenging behaviors at home. And it may be because the world they're living in is just too big for them. So it might take a month or two to adjust, but time after time, I've seen where the person with dementia who was very unhappy at home, ends up smiling again and enjoying life and activities with minimal challenging behaviors because they're in a memory care assisted living facility. And that also allows the caregiver the gift of being able to return to the role of being their loved one's spouse or child and not having to be their caregiver.
Deborah Howell: Oh, that is so key. And then the love can return, right? The different kind of love.
Kim Saberi: That's right.
Deborah Howell: Kim, where can our listeners go to find out more about your services?
Kim Saberi: You can contact the Memory Disorders Center in St. Petersburg at (727) 825-1595 or the Memory Disorder Center in Clearwater at (727) 298-6025.
Deborah Howell: And caregivers, don't be afraid to reach out on your own behalf. You are undergoing an incredibly immense Herculean task of caring for a loved one, and you are worth every bit of kindness you can offer yourself.
Kim Saberi: That's right, Deborah. Well said.
Deborah Howell: Kim, it's been so enlightening to talk to you as always. Thanks for the good information today.
Kim Saberi: Thanks so much for having me.
Deborah Howell: And that wraps up this episode of BayCare HealthChat. Head on over to our website at baycarememories.org for more information, and to get connected with one of our providers. Please remember to subscribe, rate and review this podcast and all the other BayCare podcasts, so we can share the wealth of information from our experts together.
This is Deborah Howell. Have yourself a terrific day.