Social Self-Care
Social self-care is about surrounding yourself with people you trust who will support and lift you up. It’s about spending time with those who are important to you and having FUN! For caregivers, this is also about creating your care team and asking for specific help. Below are the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast episodes, blog posts, product ideas, and other resources to help you with your social self-care.
Podcast Episodes
Connecting From a Distance
Paula Muller helped care for her grandmother and has a lifelong passion for technology applied to healthcare. Paula grew up in Chile and was very close to her grandmother and remains close to her mother. Her passions for family and technology came together in her product that we learn about called CareLink360. In this episode we discuss the caregiver guilt that comes with living from a distance from those requiring care, ideas to create connection with verbal and non-verbal care recipients, methods to infuse joy and energy into life, and ways technology can be a part of a caregiver’s care team.
Creative Care
Loretta Woodward Veney cared for her mom Doris, who lived with dementia, as well as for her aunt, sister, and husband. Loretta’s care experiences prompted her to write a few books, become a trained LEGO Serious Play facilitator, and inspire others through her speaking events and engaging workshops. In this episode, we talk about how creative play with Legos can help care partners connect and remain calm, why identifying those in your care village is critical to your success, the financial strains of caregiving and frustrations around the Medicaid Waiver process, how her faith community surrounded her with goodness after the loss of her husband, and why Loretta’s current self-care mantra is ‘stay and play’.
Caregiver Support from TikTok
Joe Vazquez and his wife Laura live in Texas and have been married over 11 years. In February 2021, Laura suffered a traumatic and anoxic brain injury. With Laura’s freak garden accident, life as they knew it changed. Joe had to find his way as a family caregiver with zero care experience. In this episode, Joe shares his story and we discuss marital commitment, mental health therapy, FMLA benefits, and the role TikTok has played in his caregiving journey.
- A Nomad Caregiving Life – Anthony Copeland-Parker
- Staying Afloat While Caregiving – Matthew Cauli
- Emotional & Social Self Care – Carlos Olivas
- Cocktails & Caregivers – Amanda Clark
- Share Your Story – Leeza Gibbons
- Faith Community Support – Sheila Welch
- Find Your Support Circle – Anne Tumlinson
- Can Caregiving Be a Party?! – Jenn Chan
- How to Find a Support Group – Elizabeth Miller
HHC Social Support Options
- Check out our upcoming events.
- 1:1 Caregiver Coaching – first 30-minute session is complimentary. Schedule your initial session or review additional coaching options.
- Find your local ACAP (Adult Children of Aging Parents) Community
- Join our email list and receive support and resources direct to your inbox.
- Elizabeth, along with two other Certified Caregiving Consultants, offers support and encouragement through the Self-Care Support for Caregivers FB Group.
Articles
From The Gift Shop
Books
Fun & Games
- Conversation Cards
- SkipBo Card Game or Bananagrams Word Game
- Digital Photo Frames are a Conversation Piece
- Mad Libs
- Jigsaw Puzzle
- Get Your Hands Dirty with Play-Doh
Other Social Self-Care & Caregiving Resources
- Check out Connectivities, Ageless Innovations, Singing at Home, and other products to help prevent social isolation on our Discount and Promo Code page!
- Nominate a family caregiver or yourself for a free caregiver respite retreat through Brutally Beautiful (national) or Nancy’s House (PA, NJ, or DE).
- Send someone who is providing care a caregiving card created by Senior Shower Project.
- Create a free personal CaringBridge website to communicate updates, photos, and more about a loved one’s health journey.
