Caregiver Sharing Session Report March 11 & 12, 2013 Fisher River Cree Nation, Manitoba
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Caregiver Sharing Session Report March 11 & 12, 2013 Fisher River Cree Nation, Manitoba Author: The Saint Elizabeth First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Program In partnership with Fisher River Health Centre Table of Contents Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................................4 Participants .................................................................................................................................................................4 Background .................................................................................................................................................................5 The National First Nations Caregiver Education and Support Project ...................................................................5 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................5 Fisher River Cree Nation .........................................................................................................................................6 The Fisher River Cree Nation Caregiver Sharing Session ........................................................................................6 Participant Introduction .............................................................................................................................................7 The Importance of Self-Care ...................................................................................................................................7 Findings .......................................................................................................................................................................8 Community Perceptions of Caregiving ...................................................................................................................8 The Current Caregiver Education and Support Program: Needs, Challenges and Opportunities ..........................9 Identification of Caregiver Needs .......................................................................................................................9 Challenges and Needs Identified for the Caregiver Education and Support Program .................................... 12 Opportunities for a Caregiver Education and Support Program ..................................................................... 14 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................... 16 Appendices .............................................................................................................................................................. 17 3 Acknowledgements With deep gratitude we acknowledge Elder Elsie Crate who played an integral part in creating an atmosphere that was supportive, respectful and inspiring. We thank and appreciate all the participants for trusting us with their experiences and knowledge and also sharing the vision for the community’s Caregiver Education and Support Program. Special recognition is given to Simon Murdoch who assisted in drawing the visual representation of the vision for the community’s Caregiver Education and Support Program within the Challenges and Needs Identified for the Caregiver Education and Support Program section of this report. Acknowledgment and recognition is also given to Wanda Joy Murdock, Community Wellness Worker, who coordinated the sharing session at the community level. Participants Carole Crate Donna Lynn Thaddeus Dion McKay Elsie Crate Jeanette Amos Simon Murdock Susan Murdock Wanda Joy Murdock The participants represented various experiences of caregiving as follows: • Home and Community Care Staff • Provided Palliative Care to Grandfather • Retired Nurse • Community members • Community Elder • Band Councillor 4 Background The National First Nations Caregiver Education and Support Project The Saint Elizabeth First Nations, Inuit and Metis Program is working in partnership with First Nation communities across Canada to better understand the education and support needs of community care givers in order to build a National First Nations Caregiver Education and Support Program. Community caregivers are those individuals who provide care for family members such as elders; people with disabilities; and people who are receiving palliative care. Typically these caregivers are informal (not part of the health care team) yet they play a crucial role in keeping community members in their home communities. Currently there is a lack of support and education opportunities and programs for community caregivers. The Saint Elizabeth First Nations, Inuit and Métis (FNIM) Program has received funding from corporate donors through the Saint Elizabeth Foundation to develop a National First Nations Caregiver Education and Support Program. In order to build a program that addresses the needs of caregivers three caregiver sharing sessions will be held in select First Nation communities across the country, of which Fisher River Cree Nation is one of the communities. The Caregiver Sharing Session involved both interactive and hands-on activities and discussions in a fun and safe environment with time taken to celebrate and honour the important role of each community caregiver participant. Please refer to the Caregiver Sharing Session agenda for further details on activities and topics. The information gathered during the sharing session, together with information gathered from a survey of health care providers and an environmental scan, will inform the development of a training program for community health care providers (those employed to provide health care services such as Nurses, Health Care Aides, Homemakers etc.). The program will equip community-based health care providers with the knowledge and support they need to confidently provide education and supports to caregivers within their own community. Saint Elizabeth is leading this project with the same values that have guided and enriched their work over the past decade, including placing particular importance on meaningful involvement of First Nation communities. For further information on the Saint Elizabeth First Nations, Inuit and Métis Program visit www.atyourside.ca . Introduction This report represents the findings of the caregiver sharing session held in Fisher River Cree Nation, Manitoba on March 11 & 12, 2013. An overview of the purpose of the session and a description of the types of activities participants engaged in during the one and a half day session is also provided. 5 Fisher River Cree Nation Fisher River Cree Nation is an an independent Cree First Nation community that is a rural community accessible by road. The community is located located approximately 193 km north of Manitoba's capital city, Winnipeg. Its registered population in March 2013 is 1851. The Fisher River Cree Nation Caregiver Sharing Session The purpose of the Fisher River Caregiver Sharing Session was to involve community caregivers (health care providers and family/community members) in sharing their knowledge through stories and experiences. The session was delivered with the firm belief that the knowledge and expertise was already in the room. Eight participants from the community gathered together for this sharing session. Participants quickly were able to trust in the process and were immediately willing to share their knowledge on caregiver education and supports within their community. The sharing session included activities that were both interactive and fun to help keep participants engaged throughout the day and half. The activities helped the participants through the process of mapping out the Caregiver Education and Support Program in their community, envisioning their own community program. 6 The sharing session was held at the Fisher River United Church Hall. Participant Introduction The participants shared their expectations for the day and a half session during the round-table of introductions as well as the shared their current and past experiences in caregiving. The Importance of Self-Care “I learned that I need to take care of myself before I can take care of someone else.” Sharing Session Participant On day one of the sharing session a short presentation on stress and burn-out was delivered with content on the signs and symptoms and strategies to decrease stress and prevent burn-out. Through-out the day and a half session interactive group activities and discussions were facilitated emphasizing self-care. The facilitators engaged the participants through various self-care activities such participating in mindfulness practices 7 (breathing techniques, guided imagery) and demonstrating the use of Pilates bands, stress balls (tennis ball), laughing (games) and journaling that the participants can include in their daily lives to decrease stress and prevent burn-out. It is recognized that the first and foremost goal of any caregiver is to take care of oneself so that they can continue to take care of others. In addition to the self-care education and demonstrations and interactivities through-out the sharing session each participant was honoured for their role and presented with a care package. The care package contained items following the theme of self-care and are as follows: • Pink Stress Ball (tennis ball) • Pilates band • Mindfulness