A program of the western NH ServiceLink Resource Centers

& their community partners

Coös County ● Grafton CountySullivan County ● Monadnock Region

Caregiver Connections“Uniting Communities to Support Family Caregivers”

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Oversight: Steering Committee (leaders from each County); Monadnock Collaborative (fiscal agent); state level experts

Management: ServiceLink Resource Center Managers, Evaluators (IOD), NH Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services (State Funder), Project Staff & Consultants

Monadnock SLRC

(Monadnock Collaborative)

Coos Co. SLRC

(Tri-County CAP)

Grafton Co. SLRC (Grafton Co. Senior

Citizens Council, Inc.)

Sullivan Co. SLRC(Monadnock

Collaborative)

Community Organizer

Community Organizer

Leadership

Implementation

Caregiver Connections: Partnerships at Every LevelProject Schematic

Caregiver Connections: Partnerships at Every LevelProject Schematic

Family Caregivers

Caregiver Specialist Caregiver

Specialist

Community Networks Community

Networks

Community Networks

Community Networks

Project Coordinator

Caregiver Specialist

Caregiver Specialist

Direct ServiceCommunityOrganizing

Evaluation

• Network development• Volunteer training• Community-based supports

• Caregiver assessment, support• Powerful Tools for Caregivers• Flex Funds

“Uniting Communities to Support Family Caregivers”

Caregiver Specialist Role & Empowerment of Family Caregiver

Counseled caregivers make efficient use of support resources

Training Volunteers

Preparing communities to support the caregiver

Community Partnerships

Meeting each community where they are

Coos vs. Sullivan: What We Have Learned

Caregiver Teleconnection: Lessons Learned 2012

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Project Overview

A multi-faceted approach that supports caregivers through technology (tele-learning) and human interaction.

Targets caregivers who are socially isolated and below median income.

Builds upon existing resources in the community.

Creates physical and virtual caregiver one-stops.

Bi-lingual, culturally appropriate

Grant Parnters

• Alamo Service Connection (ADRC)• Bexar Area Agency on Aging• Caregiver SOS by the WellMed Charitable

Foundation• Jewish Family Services• WellMed Charitable Foundation

Program Features

• Telephone Learning and support• Teleconnection Registration and Information Line• Online Caregiver Channels• Caregiver Resource Centers (Caregiver SOS)• Care Coordination

Statistics: May 2010 through January 31, 2012

Callers 9,217 calls have been received by the call center 76.8% have been from females; 61% have identified as Hispanic or Latino Website 619,772 web sessions on the Alamo Service Connection website

Teleconnection 97 Teleconnection sessions; 1487 total Teleconnection participants 69% live in the same household (of 391 sampled participants)

Direct Services 214 direct service initial clients to Jan 31, 2011 (w/ 71% follow-up rate.) Average participant is 61 yrs old; 64% live in same household; 78% provide

daily care. CRS score: reduced by 4.3 points (average) between initial and follow up. Zarit 4-item Burden score: reduced by 2.1 points (average) between initial

and follow up.

Lessons Learned

• Caregivers don’t self-identify is still the number one barrier to program enrollment

• Caregivers don’t have a similar background or experience so it’s key to acknowledge their knowledge base and ability to support each other.

• Never underestimate the power to our voices to reach isolated caregivers

• Caregivers are resources too. It’s important that they share what they know with each other

Lessons Learned Continued

• Our telephone program works well for groups as well as individuals.

• We haven’t perfected our outreach to Spanish-speaking individuals. We regularly offer 2 sessions per month in Spanish to have a consistent presence and build momentum.

• Feedback from caregivers is essential not only for the program evaluation, but to improve the program.

• How did they hear about us? • What did they expect versus what they really

learned? • What didn’t they like? • What do they want to hear in the future.

Lessons Learned Continued

80% of sampled Teleconnection participants: they shared / connected. 56% were new participants; 79% would participate again. Themes emerged from participants relevant to self-efficacy - caregiver

self-perception of abilities, effectiveness, and problem solving - supporting the goals of the Teleconnection platform – to promote peer to peer sharing and acquisition of knowledge.

“It's an interesting concept for sharing information to caregivers who are so stressed for time and may be unable to get out of the home due to their caregiving responsibilities.”

-Kelley, caregiver and first time participant

“I was able to learn some new techniques to try from one of the other caregivers on the call.”

-Cay, caregiver and previous participant (3-5 sessions)

“I enjoyed the tele-learning session experience which offered a comfortable, open and inviting environment, especially when able to punch in from the comfort of the couch.

-David, caregiver and first time participant

Caregiver SOS E-Newsletter

Distributed on a State-wide LevelOver 3,800 persons on distribution list Vehicle to distribute information on all aspects of

caregiving: physical health, mental health, spirtual health, financial well-being

Caregiver SOS-On Air by WCF

New Radio Show on KLUPHosted by Ron Aaron and Carol ZernialBroadcast Sundays @ 6 pm

No cost – Sponsored by Elmcroft Assisted Living

Opportunity to showcase the Teleconnection, Caregiver SOS centers, and our partners

Caregiver SOS On Living

Monthly Caregiver SOS Segment on the WOAI Morning Show the 2nd Monday of every month

Began in November 2011 Opportunity to showcase Caregiver

Teleconenction and Caregiver SOS to the community at large

Sustainability Options

WCF as national licensing entityGrants (government, foundation, academia)Sponsorships for Caregiver SOS newsletters and

radio, Caregiver TeleconnectionFundraising Campaigns (5K Run, Golf

Tournament)Educational seminars and publications on health

and caregiving

Developing a Rural Community Based Caregiver Network and Support System

Eastern Area Agency on Aging MaineNoëlle Merrill, Executive Director

Deb Poulton, Project Director

University of Maine Center on AgingLenard Kaye, Executive Director

Jennifer Crittenden, Evaluation Coordinator

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Background

An already collaborating group of invested entities decided to work together to meet the challenge of the rapidly aging population of the most rural, underserved and low income region of Maine

What We Learned About Caregivers Needs

Caregivers don’t often know they are caregiversInformation needs to be available all the time in a wide variety of forms and in all sorts of places

It’s all “on-the-job training”Need training and support to help family caregivers with techniques for hands-on careEducation on specific medical disorders

The provider network needs to be “one-stop shopping“

We need to offer a wide array of available and affordable resources

Important Impacts Expansion of hours and days in a medical

model adult day service

Skills building training for caregivers

Affordable navigational services

Simple tools like emergency information tool kit about care recipient, resource materials, online assessment

Regular in-home Respite

Important ImpactsBroad and regular use of media

Connecting with the broad array of providers who work with caregivers

Expanding caregiver relief as with massage therapy, support get togethers

Personalized outreach to special caregiver groups such as those caring for veterans of various different era conflicts

Important ImpactsInclude students of all levels from high

school to masters programs to inspire interest in the field of geriatrics

Involve high level students in adult day services to increase capacity and lower costs

Its important to offer male caregivers different types of support

Offering small fixes provides large relief

Final ThoughtsCaregivers don’t easily relinquish their job.

If they don’t have other family members to help, they seldom have paid staff

We are reaching more caregivers earlier, before they are in crisis, and in some of the most remote regions of our state

Involving the medical community, the social service providers and educational entities in our project has broadened options for caregivers to do their job longer