Caregivers
A service for caregivers
* Teleconference workshops are in French only.
Here is the schedule for upcoming teleconference workshops: October 12, 2010, November 9, 2010, January 11, 2011, February 8, March 8 and April 12, 2011. The theme and content of each workshop will be available soon.
To register, call 514-485-7374 or 1 866-396-AIDE (2433), the Caregiver Network’s Info Line.
Articles from the MS Quebec:
Speak and listen to communicate better
Who are the natural caregivers of people with MS?
Caregivers’ Column
Letting Go
Free to Be Happy
Experiences From Caregivers
The Many Faces of Caregivers!
The Role of Caregiver – A New Experience for You!
Stress magagement, part 3
Stress magagement, part 2
Stress magagement, part 1
How are you doing?
Look after yourself without feeling guilty
Taking care of each other
The role of the caregiver: not always easy
Welcome to caregivers! How are you doing today?
CAREGIVERS AND OUR MISSION
Let's re-read our mission: “To be a leader in finding a cure for multiple sclerosis and enabling people affected by MS to enhance their quality of life.” But who is affected by MS? Many people spontaneously assume it is those who have been diagnosed with the disease. Moreover, the MS Society has developed many programs and services to help people with MS improve their quality of life.
However, it would be a mistake to believe that the MS Society's role is limited to helping people diagnosed with MS. Our main client base is a much wider group, which also includes loved ones, such as family members (especially spouses and children), friends and other significant people, in addition to caregivers (who are not professionals and are unpaid), whether they are family members or not. All of these people are considered to be “people affected by MS,” as stated in our mission.
The MS Society recognizes the existence, role and needs of caregivers. However, what does caregiver mean? A caregiver (or natural caregiver) is defined as someone who helps a person with MS to compensate for a progressive loss of autonomy. In the community, caregivers play an important role. On a daily basis, they must balance their needs with those of a loved one who has disabilities. They are not always prepared for the job, which risks disturbing the harmony in their relationship. They are often faced with difficult choices and new situations, which are sometimes totally unexpected because of the unpredictable nature of the disease and require all types of adjustments and adaptations.
The MS Society's Quebec Division intends to develop, over the next few months, programs, services and tools to support caregivers in exercising their role with other organizations, either in partnership with them or not.
Which road should I take? Which path do I need to explore? Which door should I knock on? Who can I talk to about my concerns, worries and needs? Where should I direct my demands? Where can I find help? Which resources are available to me? What are my rights and how can I exercise them? All of these questions reflect the concerns of natural caregivers who wish, mainly and above all, to live in harmony and dignity with their loved one who has a disability.
At the start of the long trip you are ready to embark on with your caregiver, you will ask all of these questions, and reflection is needed to find answers. The natural caregiver should reflect on his or her reasons for taking care of a person losing autonomy, the responsibilities and requirements that the role entails, and the loved one's personal resources and limitations. Are the caregiver's expectations realistic and in keeping with the needs and expectations of the person requiring care?
