Caregiving TV

Caregiving TV by Pamela D. Wilson responds to questions from family caregivers and aging adults. On this channel, you will find hundreds of videos including replays of Livestream caregiver events. Caregiving TV offers a glimpse into the real-life experiences of caregivers and aging adults.

10 Things About Caregiving I Wish Someone Told Me

Pamela’s video, “10 Things About Caregiving I Wish Someone Told Me,” and “Why Power of Attorney is More Than a Piece of Paper,” are popular videos among viewers.

Caregiving is an unexpected territory. Few individuals plan to be a caregiver. At the time caregiving becomes a role the responsibilities turn the lives of caregivers topsy-turvy.

Help for caregivers is not well-publicized. Many caregivers feel like they have to “get through it” or “tough it out.” This belief of getting through it holds out through early caregiving experiences but can turn faulty when caregiving situations become complicated.

Caregiving Burnout and Stress

Caring for elderly parents or a spouse is often more difficult than expected, especially when care needs grow to include hands-on care.  Caregiving burnout and stress are common feelings related to caregiving. Caregivers shut down mentally and emotionally while still trying to manage all of the tasks that result in caregiving feeling like a daily struggle.

This mental shutting down results in an inability to see caregiving situations with clarity. Caregivers become forgetful and fail at problem-solving. Suggestions to get help fall on deaf ears. Ideas to improve caregiving situations are dismissed as being too much trouble. Caregiving for aging parents can feel overwhelming. 

When Caregivers Fail to Care For Themselves, They Fail to Care for Loved Ones

Overwhelming stress results in caregiving mistakes and poor care for loved ones. When caregivers fail to care for themselves, they fail to care for loved ones.

Little consideration is given to declines in the physical and mental health of the caregivers, which often become worse than the person for who care is provided. Caregivers fail to consider that if something happens to them, a caregiving backup plan is needed to care for a spouse or an aging parent.

It is when caregivers reach a point where self-care continues to be a low priority that failure to care for loved ones happens. The day in and day out up and down roller coaster of events and emotions becomes too much for the caregiver. Isolation and depression spiral into caregivers feeling angry and resentful of caregiving situations.

I’m So Tired of Being A Caregiver

A common statement heard from caregivers is “I’m so tired of being a caregiver.” This statement is made as a response to a never-ending to-do list of projects. Also, caregivers bear the brunt of refusals of care from aging parents and spouses.

While aging adults want to remain in control of their life and want to remain independent, mistakes in judgment happen. For example, a refusal to use a walker because “only old people use walkers,” may result in a fall and injury that eliminates the option for an aging parent to continue living at home.

Aging adults find it difficult to face the reality of declining health and impending consequences. Instead, some refuse to consider preventative actions. Disaster happens, and the blame rests on the caregiver for not speaking up.

Being the caregiver in situations of refusal of care and denial by loved ones feels like a losing battle. It’s no wonder exasperated caregivers throw up their hands and say, “I’m so tired of being a caregiver.” Exhausted and frustrated caregivers experience caregiver burnout. 

Family Dynamics Can Make Caregiving a High Pressure Role

Denial by aging parents and spouses is common in caregiving situations. Aging parents and spouses feel overwhelmed, close-minded, and become truly or conveniently forgetful.

When both the caregiver and the care receiver are feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, angry, and fearful, the situation takes the course of a caregiving train wreck. Attitudes become negative. Positive thoughts about the situation being managed or improving disappear.

Negativity increases the feeling that caregivers live in a pressure cooker and that situations are impossible. Worry and feelings of anxiety are pervasive and cannot be eliminated from the mind of the caregiver or the care receiver.

The pressure that caregivers feel increases through attempts at multi-tasking that result in getting nothing accomplished. Feeling rushed and never having enough time is a side effect of time not being tracked or budgeted. Disorganization occurs.

Every issue feels like a fire drill to manage — when each issue may be a low priority. The caregiving brain goes haywire and fails to manage the caregiving situation.

Caregiving TV Offers Hope and Inspiration for Caregivers

Being a family caregiver with all of the caregiving roles and responsibilities is what Caregiving TV on Pamela’s YouTube Channel is all about.  Individuals new to caregiving have no idea of their role or of the responsibilities that are expected of them.

Because prior conversations never—or rarely—occurred, expectations about what the caregiver will do can result in major issues. Aging parents don’t want to be a burden or to need care. Caregivers don’t want caregiving to take over their lives.

These “don’t want” become a reality when care is needed. Where do caregivers turn for hope and help?

Frequently Asked Questions About Caregiver Support

Because caregiving support is not an often talked about subject, many caregivers don’t know where to turn for caregiver support, hope, or help. Time pressures exist. Caregivers lack the time to search for information.

Even more troubling to caregivers is thinking of adding another project or more time into an already full caregiving schedule. This is why online caregiving support groups and courses are a perfect option for participating in caregiver support groups.

Caregivers have many frequently asked questions about caregiver support. Pamela answers these questions on a page on her website.

The most important aspect about caregiver support are the benefits to caregivers and the aging parent, spouse, or other loved one receiving care. The benefits include:

• Being more confident about completing caregiving tasks
• Improving the decision-making process to avoid worry about making the wrong decision
• Gaining skills to manage caregiving situations
• Identifying skills critical to advocating for care with the healthcare system and caregiving providers
• Gaining hope that caregiving situations can improve
• The crossover in skills learned to manage caregiving to other parts of life. These include better time management, organization, and planning.

Caregiving TV is a Timely Solution for Caregivers

The growth of the aging population will continue to have a major effect on families. The number of baby boomers turning 65 each day is projected at 10,000 and the population of older adults is expected to double over the next 30 years.

Young adults in their late teens, 20s, and 30s are now caring for middle-aged parents and grandparents. Without extensive life experience, young caregivers seek solutions through technology.

Many caregivers work full-time, have their own families to raise, and care for aging parents or loved ones. Information gathering through the Internet and other media sources offers caregivers and aging adults the opportunity to be proactive about care needs, caregiving, and managing health.

Looking for More Caregiving Resources? Visit Pamela’s Caregiver Support Page.