Elder Care Program Summer Newsletter 2019

Dear All,

Spring is indeed a season of new beginnings. Graduates will be tossing their mortarboards soon, their status as students ending and a new chapter beginning; their hard work recognized with celebrations, and accolades. As caregivers, however, your hard work often goes unrecognized with no rituals to mark a job well done. Rather than the opening of possibilities as you move further along in the caregiver journey, there is often a narrowing of options for yourselves, and for your loved ones. Please remember that although your role as caregiver may not be celebrated by others, you are important. Take a moment to congratulate yourself for one of the hardest jobs one can do, and find a way to reward yourself. You earned it.

Please remember that the Elder Care Program is here to help ease some of your stress related to your concerns. If you wish to schedule an appointment to meet with Maureen, please call 510-643-7754. 

Take care, 

Maureen Kelly, Elder Care Counselor
Karen Patchell, Be Well at Work Program Manager

Caregiver Summer Series 2019
To register, please click on the workshop titles below
Wednesday, June 5th

This workshop will focus on specific challenges related to caring for an older adult, including caring for an elder with memory loss and caring for an elder who resists help. Strategies for self-care will be shared. Resources provided.


Wednesday, June 26th

This workshop will focus on specific challenges related to caring for an older adult, including roles and responsibilities of the caregiver and other family members; the caregiver-care receiver relationship; expectations you and others have of you; and feeling responsible but not having control. Strategies for self-care will be shared. Resources provided.

Wednesday, July 10th

This workshop will focus on the stressors associated with caregiving, including competing demands, such as work, family and personal, as well as finances for care. Strategies for self-care will be shared.

Tuesday, July 23rd

In this workshop we will identify various losses associated with aging and how these changes may be experienced by an elder, the caregiver, and other family members; recognize grieving as an active and important process; and try to differentiate between grief and depression.

Campus Events
What's Next? A Practical Approach to Improving Your Well-being and Resilience Over 50 (for active staff only)
In this highly interactive workshop, sponsored by the UC Berkeley Retirement Center, the presenter will describe a simple but powerful research-based framework that participants will use to assess their current resilience in nine different areas to identify where they most need to focus, and the practical steps that they can take to increase their resilience and well-being. Career and non-career implications will be explored.

When: Tuesday, May 21, 2019 2:30 - 4:30 pm
Where: University Hall, Room 150 

CAL Walks at Work Day
Join your campus colleagues for the 10th Annual UC Walks in celebration of Staff Appreciation Week. Group walks will depart at 12:10 pm from four campus locations to converge at the Memorial Glade. Mark your calendar to join in the fun this year and commit to an energized 30-minute walk on this day.

When: Friday, June 14th, 12:10 - 1 pm


Mindful Living - 6 Session Series
The practice of mindfulness is receiving increasing scientific support as a means to reduce stress, improve cognitive flexibility, foster relationship satisfaction and promote health and well-being.

This six session introductory, experiential and interactive course will provide participants with a foundation in:

  • understanding the basic principles of mindfulness,
  • developing a personal mindfulness meditation practice and
  • applying mindfulness in daily life

Cost: $215
When: Thur 8/1, 8/8, 8/15, 9/5, 9/12, 9/12, 9/19
Time: 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm, Tang Center


Community Events
Aging with Pride: Innovative Program
Aging with Pride: IDEA is a free problem-solving and low-impact exercise program designed to improve the well-being and health of older adults experiencing memory loss and the people who help them. Either the person with memory loss or the caregiver needs to be LGBTQ.
The program includes nine in-person sessions with a coach over 6 weeks, with five phone interviews over 13 months.

Contact 1-888-655-6646 or agelIDEA@uw.edu for more information
Young Caregiver Brunch and Tea - Honoring Modern Caregiving Needs
This workshop will feature presenters speaking on topics specifically relevant to younger family caregivers, whose needs and concerns can differ from a caregiver who is older. 

When: Saturday, June 15, 10 am - 2 pm
Where: Google Community Space, 188 The Embarcadero, San Francisco

Book & Article Recommendations

In  Digging Out, you will find a complete guide to helping your loved one with a hoarding problem live safely and comfortably in their home or apartment. Included are realistic harm reduction strategies that you can use to help your loved one manage health and safety hazards, avoid eviction, and motivate him or her to make long-term lifestyle changes. 
horse-fence.jpg

The Connected Horse Part 2


"I was invited to a special program at the Xenophon Therapeutic Center in Orinda to learn more about the   Connected Horse  Workshops. This program is based on research conducted at Stanford University School of Medicine, UC Davis School of Medicine, Alzheimer’s Disease Center and the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Connected Horse teaches people living with early stage dementia and their care partners how to care for horses. "


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