April 7, 2010  (4:00 PM)
Learning how to share care
You may initially be taken aback by some of the Seven Principles for Caregivers that drive the Share The Care™ approach – a model of care now being rolled out in the South West region of Ontario. At first reading, they may seem a bit too direct. But here’s the thing – they work. The principles have been integral to the success of this model of care since it was first introduced in the U.S. in 1995. The first principle: “Sharing responsibility is the key to not burning out.” Remember sharing – the concept we supposedly learned in kindergarten and received praise for? Yet, when it comes to caregiving we often reject this approach. Yes – there are many variables that influence our thinking and make us reluctant to ask for assistance, but we need to fight this urge because it can lead to burn out. Initially, you may think that you don’t need to "share the care" or that there simply aren’t enough people in your life to call on, but you could be wrong on both counts. The Share The Care™ approach is designed to help you determine who to approach and how to approach them.  So what have you got to lose? As the Dutch say (this according to my Dutch significant other), “you already have no”. If you're a resident of the SouthWest region and you'd like to receive a copy of the Share The Care™ book or you'd like more information about the Initiative, please contact Eugene Dufour, the program coordinator at eugenedufour@sympatico.ca.

Darren70	4/9/2010
Having attended a Share the Care workshop I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it as strategy for individuals caring for a loved one. For some, the idea of "sharing the responsibility" may require a shift in thinking, but the positive benefits for both the care recipient and their caregivers can't be ignored. Having an uncle recently diagnosed as terminal, I’m experiencing firsthand the importance of everyone doing what they can - my aunt couldn't possibly do it alone!

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