Webinar: Carer Wellness
Dementia Australia webinars are free videos where subject experts discuss topics relating to dementia for a general audience.
In this webinar, Dementia Support Specialist Clare Coyle explains the impacts of providing care for someone with dementia, and the importance of self-care.
You will learn about:
- dementia and its impact on your wellbeing
- ways to improve and maintain your health and wellbeing
- the importance of social connection and support networks.
Transcript
[Beginning of recorded material]
[Title card: Dementia Australia]
[Title card: Carer Wellness]
Clare Coyle: Hello, my name is Clare Coyle and I'm a dementia support specialist. Today, I'll be presenting to you a short presentation on carer wellness. Firstly, in the spirit of reconciliation, I would like to begin today by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land in which we gather, and pay my respects to their Elders, past, present, and emerging. I also extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people watching today. Over this session, I will cover some skills and strategies which you will be able to implement into your everyday life by building self-care skills. Some things we will cover today are self-care, understanding the impacts of dementia, eating for health and wellbeing, physical wellbeing, and sleeping well, and relaxation, mindfulness and resilience, and social connection and support networks.
Firstly, what is self-care? The definition of self-care is the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own wellbeing and happiness. In particular, during periods of stress. It is the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one's own health and that of the person they are caring for. We need to understand the changes that you may be encountering. These are often hard to understand, and no sooner have you made the adjustment to one stage of the illness the person is experiencing, then other changes occur and you have to make new adjustments. This is a long-term process for most people. Therefore, it may mean that your role usually continues over a long period of time.
When there are changes in your role as a carer, it has impacts on your wellbeing. These impacts can be significant. These impacts may include: changes in communication of the person living with dementia, your health and diet may change, the time to keep up your own recreational activities, including exercise, may be lost. Most carers say they experience lack of sleep leading to tiredness, which may also impact on their own memory, memories, and brain health. Sometimes, it is just there is little time to maintain friendship and social activities, which may lead to you becoming socially isolated.
Many carers find that some of their friends stop visiting. This may be due to the lack of understanding, or feelings of inadequacy, or worrying they will be asked to help more than they are able. You may also be taking on the role of the other person for example. Traditional male-female roles, or son and daughter taking on a supporting role of a parent who used to have this role in their relationships. Your emotions may fluctuate between concern and resentment, including grief and loss. However, there are some positive changes that occur as carers develop greater knowledge and expertise. For example, other roles such as advocacy and speakers, and also finding a strength they weren't aware that they had.
One of the impacts I mentioned earlier was diet. Healthy eating is very important for overall health, and particularly in keeping the brain well. Recent research indicates that food is being used as lifestyle medicine, and healthy eating can reduce the use of medication, improving health and longevity. It is important to remember diet is acknowledged as the single most important behavioural risk factor for chronic diseases. The Australian government supports healthy eating by producing the Australian dietary guidelines. The relevant guidelines I'll talk about today are guideline 1: achieve and maintain a healthy weight, be physically active and choose amounts of nutritious food and drinks to meet your energy needs. Older people should eat nutritious foods and keep physically active to help maintain muscle strength, bone density, and a healthy weight. However, we also know that people who are over the age of 65 often have better health if they carry a little extra weight and have a slightly higher body mass index.
Guideline 2: Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods including these five food groups every day. Plenty of vegetables of different types and colours, legumes and beans, fruit, grain foods, for example rice, barley, corn, polenta, rye, quinoa, and semolina; lean meats, poultry, fish and eggs, and also, dairy products, and don't forget to drink plenty of water. Guideline 3: limit intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars, and alcohol. Be mindful of your choices. Any changes can be difficult, particularly where we aim to change our long-term habits. The best way to improve your diet is by making small, subtle changes. These can have significant improvements on your overall health, can help you to reduce your waistline, and the risk of developing some cancers and chronic diseases.
Physical activity also plays a vital importance throughout our lives. Australians keep active through various exercises which could include sports, hobbies, and interests. It is very important to keep active within your capabilities every day. Once we can identify what it is that motivates us to keep fit, we are more likely to keep the habit up. There are many health benefits to exercise such as the most important ones, including improved emotional wellbeing, improved sleep, improved brain function, and reduced risk of cognitive decline and dementia, improved ability to function at home, and complete activities of daily living, improved energy levels, reduced risk of falls and injuries, and improve quality of life.
Just like the Australian dietary guidelines, we have the Australian National Physical Guidelines to keep all Australians moving. The human body is designed to move, not to be still for prolonged periods of time. Now, let's take a look at these physical guidelines. In guideline 1, think of movement as an opportunity, not an inconvenience. In order to improve our physical activities, we need to see movement as an opportunity in our everyday life. There are small, subtle changes we can make, which will improve our physical tolerance and ongoing independence. For example, hanging out the washing rather than using the dryer.
Guideline 2, be active every day in as many ways as you can. Physical activity is everybody's business. We need to make sure we are active in as many ways as possible. Some people make specific time to be active. For example, going to the gym or playing sport. The vast majority of us simply incorporate it into our daily lives. After doing something for about two weeks, it becomes a habit. Before you know it, you can become an expert.
Guideline 3, put together at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most, preferably all days. The recommended 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity can incorporate several 10-minute trips. It does not need to be continuous. Moderate intensity activities should, however, be carried out for at least 10 minutes at a time without stopping. For example, checking the mail and watering the garden, vacuuming the house, going for a short walk to the end of the road and back, raking the leaves, or sweeping the path.
Guideline 4, if you can also enjoy some regular vigorous activity for extra health and fitness. For those who are physically able to walk for longer periods of time and do not have physical barriers, this additional guideline is recommended. This guideline reflects the importance of vigorous activity where you are huffing and puffing for about 30 minutes. This could include aerobics, walking, aqua aerobics, swimming, playing tennis or cycling.
Sleeping well – getting a good night's sleep is crucial for your mental and physical wellbeing. There are two types of sleep: deep sleep and dream sleep. Good quality sleep is about the amount of deep sleep a person gets, not the length of sleep. The most important sleep hygiene measure is to maintain a regular sleep-wake pattern seven days a week. It is also important to spend an appropriate amount of time in bed, not too little or not too excessive.
Relaxation – relaxation reduces stress and the symptoms of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. Relaxation also has other related health benefits including lowering your heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate, reducing muscle tension and chronic pain, improving concentration and mood, reducing fatigue, reducing anger and frustration, boosting confidence to handle problems.
What is mindfulness? Mindfulness can be defined as an awareness of the present moment. It is living here and now. Through mindfulness, you are freed from becoming entangled in thoughts of your past, and you are freed from worrying about the future. It is about living in the present moment. There are many benefits of practising mindfulness, and some include help relieve stress, treat heart disease, lower blood pressure, reduce chronic pain, improve sleep, alleviate gastrointestinal difficulties. There is no magic formula for turning mindfulness on. No button to press, no potion to take. All you must do is simply choose to become aware of the present moment, and to allow your true self, the clear light of no thought to fill your awareness.
To get the full sense of mindfulness, practice it for just a minute. This is an easy mindfulness exercise, and one that you can do anytime throughout the day at any place. For 60 seconds, your task is to focus all your attention on your breathing. It is just for one minute, but it can seem like an eternity. Leave your eyes open and breathe normally, be ready to catch your mind from wandering off because it will, and return your attention to your breath whenever it does, so give it a go.
Resilience – how do we define resilience? Resilience is an individual's tendency to cope with stress and adversity. Individuals who are resilient find ways to cope by not letting challenges overcome and drain them. Psychologists have identified some of the factors that make someone resilient. These factors include a positive attitude, optimism, the ability to regulate emotions, and the ability to see setbacks as a form of helpful feedback. Even when an individual experiences a setback, resilient people are able to change course and continue on. Resilience is a skill which can be learnt by anyone, but learning it does require time and effort. Individuals who are resilient find ways to cope by not letting challenges overcome or drain them.
Social connection – social connection measures how people come together and interact. Older adults have been shown to be more vulnerable to social isolation than the rest of the population. Socially isolated, older adults have more ill health and less wellbeing than most who are socially connected. Here’s a quote from a carer, “Ensuring you reach out for any support that you may need is the key. You are not alone, and you will be surprised how much support there is, if you just look for it”. Please remember that you have your own life and not to become enmeshed with a person living with dementia. Your own interests and your own experience belongs to you, and you can't rely on them as well as identifying any additional skills you may need as becoming a carer.
Isolation and loneliness are a big barrier for a number of Australians. As we get older, we can find it more difficult to relate to other people, particularly if our own physical health is declining, and we are no longer able to keep up with our hobbies or interests. A number of individuals also report that they do not want to burden their family and relatives, and therefore, do not discuss their feelings.
In conclusion, being a carer is not an easy job and does take us to places we never thought we would be going. Dementia Australia has some great resources and services like counselling and education to help you through this journey. It can be rewarding, and sometimes, it only takes one act of kindness and caring to change a person's life. Just remember, be kind to yourselves. Thank you.
[Title card: Together we can reshape the impact of dementia]
[Title card: Dementia Australia 1800 100 500. Dementia.org.au]
[END of recorded material]
More for you
- Self-care for carers
It’s okay to spend time taking care of yourself. Not only because you’ll be better able to care for your loved one, but just because you’re a person who deserves care.
https://www.dementia.org.au/living-dementia/family-friends-and-carers/self-care-carers - Tips for mindfulness and brain health
Mindfulness is the human ability to be fully present, aware of where you are and what you’re doing, and not thinking or reacting to what’s going on around us.
https://www.dementia.org.au/news/tips-mindfulness-and-brain-health
- Eat for health: Australian Government guide to healthy eating
- Department of Health and Aged Care: Physical activity and exercise guidelines for all Australians
- Ted Talk: The three secrets of resilient people
- The Conversation: ‘We lose ourselves’: carers talk about the lonely, stressful work of looking after loved ones
- The Conversation: Mindfulness, meditation and self-compassion - a clinical psychologist explains how these science-backed practices can improve mental health
The National Dementia Helpline
Free and confidential, the National Dementia Helpline, 1800 100 500, provides expert information, advice and support, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. No issue too big, no question too small.