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Caregiver Support Group Resources

February 2023

Self-Care for Caregivers 

Taking Care of YOU: Self-Care for Family Caregivers 

A guide to self-care from the Family Caregiver Alliance. This guide includes recommendations for identifying barriers, being responsible for your own care, and 8 tools to move forward and develop a healthy self-care regimen as a caregiver. 

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Hallow App 

For those of the Catholic faith, this app provides a platform for Catholic meditation and prayer. 

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Headspace App 

A non-denominational app that provides guided meditation and lessons to improve sleep, focus, and more. A 14-day free trial is available for first-time users.  

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Meditation Videos on Youtube 

A free alternative to paid apps, there are free guided meditations available on Youtube.   

 

Talking to Your Loved One

The LEAP Approach (Developed by Dr. Xavier Amador)

A brief overview of the LEAP (Listen, Empathize, Agree & Partner) approach.

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Caregiver Mentorship 

Cure SZ Foundation Friendsz Mentorship Program 

This resource pairs caregivers of loved ones with schizophrenia and other serious psychiatric brain disorders and illnesses with mentors with experience caring for a loved one with a similar diagnosis. 

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Boundaries for Caregivers

How to set boundaries as a caregiver Article

A brief article on setting boundaries as a caregiver.  

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"How important is it right now?"

A question that helps to assess how urgent a situation is and the needs of your loved one. 

 

Catch it, Check it, Change it! 

A method used in some cognitive behavioral therapies to alter negative thinking. This may be helpful for caregivers who find themselves expecting negative outcomes in their thoughts ("waiting for the other shoe to drop"). The link below provides a resource by the BBC explaining the usefulness of this technique, the steps associated, and an example worksheet that you can implement in your own life. 

Click here 

Employment Opportunities for People Living with Mental Illness (Maryland)

B'More Clubhouse 

A non-profit organization empowering individuals with mental illness to lead meaningful and productive lives of their choice. Has resources to help members access care, education, and part-time employment. 

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Goodwill STEP Program  

Provides job training, case management, and career services including psych rehab programming. Scroll to the STEP section of the website below to find the links for the referral form, client handbook, and telehealth consent. Locations for the program are in Baltimore City and Carrol County. 

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Ticket To Work Program

A free and voluntary Social Security program that helps people who receive disability benefits return to work or work for the first time. 

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Psych Education: Vocab & More  

Executive Function 

Often impacted by some severe mental health diagnoses, executive function refers to skills that inform the capacity to plan ahead and meet goals, display self-control, follow multiple-step directions even when interrupted, and stay focused despite distractions, among others.  Additional information is provided below by the University of California San Francisco Weill Institute for Neurosciences Memory and Aging Center.    

Click Here

January 2023

Self-Care for Caregivers 

Caregiver Self-Care Booklet  

A guide to self-care from the Comprehensive Services on Aging. Targeted to some extent to caregivers of elderly parents with Alzheimers and related dementias, but containing helpful pointers for anyone caring for a person with memory disorders or behavioral problems related to mental illness. 

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Volunteering 

A strategy for creating your network of friends, volunteering in the community through local food banks or shelters can be a way to meet new people in your community. 

Help-Lists

You can help yourself by allowing others to help you! Generate a list of easy ways someone can help you when they offer. Rather than saying there isn't a way for them to help, allow them to do one of those items on your list. Items can be as simple as asking for a hug!  

Talking to Your Loved One

I Am Not Sick, I Don't Need Help Book by Xavier Amador

Dr. Amador discusses his LEAP (Listen, Empathize, Agree & Partner) approach to help your loved one gain insight into their illness and to help you learn about anosognosia, a common symptom in several mental illnesses associated with lack of insight.

PDF Here

Buy on Amazon Here

Reality Check 

Helping your loved one check in with reality when a suspicious-type of delusional thinking or hallucinations occur (instead of more directly negating those thoughts). 

Day Programs and Social Options for Your Loved One 

Psych Rehabilitation Programs 

Day programs offering a occupational, peer, and/or other therapies. Structured programs may be available for full day or half day services. 

B'More Clubhouse (Maryland Resource)

A non-profit organization empowering individuals with mental illness to lead meaningful and productive lives of their choice. Has resources to help members access care, education, and part time employment. 

Click Here

 

Psych Education: Vocab & More  

Anosognosia: "I'm not sick" 

A symptom of several mental illnesses where the person who has been diagnosed does not have insight into their illness - they do not think or believe they are sick. Additional information provided by the National Alliance on Mental Illness.  

Click Here

Description of Psychotic, Negative & Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia 

Information available from the National Institute of Mental Health 

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Description of Alzheimer's Disease & Related Dementias

Information available from the National Institute on Aging. Includes Symptoms, diagnosis, causes, caregiving links. 

Click Here

In the case of an emergency please call 911.

If located in the Harford County, Maryland area, ask the operator for a CIT (crisis intervention) officer who will be best equipped to mediate and find the best help in the case of a mental health crisis. If a CIT officer is available, they will be the responder. 

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