Providing care for caregivers

On June 15, a three-week support group for caregivers provided by ARC Health and Social Services will be offered at the Nova Career Centre in Chateauguay.

The aim of ReCharge is for participants to learn technical skills, relax and have fun, and discover the resources of community partner organizations. The course is offered for free with advanced registration required.

An estimated 150,000 informal caregivers currently reside in the Montérégie region, many of whom express the need for access to practical care-giving skills. Loralie Bromby of ARC explains: “We surveyed a group of caregivers from the Montérégie region and 98% of them stated that they need support with, and help in, feeling confident as a caregiver. The majority of them specified that they lacked hands-on, practical support.” 

As a response to this need, ReCharge was designed as a hands-on program for anyone taking care of a loved one that focuses on technical tips taught by a registered nurse. Participants learn about fall prevention, dealing with infection, understanding Alzheimer's, CPR and more. The successful launch of the ReCharge course took place last March in St-Lambert. ReCharge will now continue to be delivered across the Montérégie in four different centers, from now until April 2018.

While the ReCharge course mostly focuses on technical training, a portion of the class is also devoted to caregivers finding a life balance, with trained professionals from the community teaching self-care methods such as yoga and relaxation. Previous participants of the program reported coming away with changed perspectives on their roles as caregivers. The course helped them see the importance of caring for oneself in order to better care for their loved ones. “A class like this makes you feel like you are not alone,” said one participant.

ReCharge is being offered at the Nova Career Centre in Chateauguay starting Thursday, June 15th from 6:00-9:00pm and runs twice a week for three weeks. For more information contact loraliebromby@arc-hss.ca or 450-812-0981.