National studies on caregiver stress indicate that the number one pressing need of carepartners is to have access to effective, rapid stress reduction tools regardless of whether the source of the stress is economic, social, physical or emotional and regardless of the care recipient’s illness. Carepartners typically do not have time to attend local programs, so easy to use, in home, stress reduction techniques are in demand.STRESS REDUCTION:
Mind body techniques that lower tension in the body first then allow for mental relaxation to follow are highly adaptive because most people can respond to this approach quickly and it does not require a lot of practice or clearing of one’s mind as do many forms of meditational practice. Techniques like Relaxation and Guided Imagery (RGI) are especially useful because:
* they reduce stress in the body even with first practice
* utilize sensory images in a playful way to continue to help you cope, heal and renew energy
* sensory imaging in a relaxed state creates fast shifts in perception and behavior -
* this allows reactivity to lower and frustration and guilt can be let go of, too.
RGI is practiced by many nurses in the States because these gentle yet powerful techniques can be learned by almost anyone, are painless, non invasive, can be practiced almost anywhere (except driving) and tend to lower blood pressure, tension headaches, minor aches and pains and promote sleep.
With RGI, after an initial week of practice, the mind starts combing out sensory images associated with letting go of stress more and more on its own. It is not necessary to practice it all the time. It can be returned to when a refresher is needed. It can be learned in a group, one on one or over the phone with a GI practitioner or alone via a cd or MP3 download. Certified Guided Imagery (GI) practitioners can be found at Imagery International, an international, professional GI organzation.
Local RGI Resources: This Philadelphia MS Examiner is a certified GI practitioner with interventions to relieve carepartner stress and other helpful GI interventions for MS. To learn more about GI programs available in Philadelphia area, contact imagerywork.com or email a question to the Philadelphia MS Examiner page.
Additional Local Resources to Relieve MS Carepartner Stress: Other needs than stress reduction vary depending on the age of the carepartner and the care recipient, their life situations, the stage of the disease and whether cognitive or advanced physical impairments are present in the care recipient. In general, most MS carepartners indicate a need to obtain reliable, local resources to cope with relational or intimacy issues, financial resources, in home assistance or respite care for carepartners.
HELP IS AVAILABLE IN PHLADELPHIA AREA:
* The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is a national MS organization but its headquarters are located in Cherry Hill, NJ. At this site, a trained social worker serves as a MS lifecoach and can work with persons with MS and their carepartners to help relieve relational stress. To use this service, contact their main website (www.msassociation.org) and select the icon for life coach.
* The MSAA also has a wonderful, free, online video entitled: A Closer Look at Intimacy and MS which explores handling communication, expressing physical and emotional care, overcoming emotional challenges of caregiving, strategies to manage the physical challenges of MS and how to achieve and maintain intimacy amidst the changes that MS can bring.
* The Delaware Valley Chapter of the National MS Society offers funding for respite care as too often the carepartner lets go of caring for themselves. This chapter can provide financial assistance for respite care up to $1,000 for a facility stay or in-home services once a year. To apply or learn more contact: www.nationalmssociety.org
For more info on Carepartner Stress and National Resources, there are numerous national organizations available to provide general information and tips, such as: National Alliance for Caregivers, Family Caregiver Alliance, Lotsa of Helping Hands, Wellspouse Family Caregivers.
Thank You for the excellent article. I loved reading it!
http://www.imagerywork.com/store-2/imagery-to-relieve-caregiver-stress
Thank you, above is the link to my relieving caregiver stress cd or mp3 download, you may find it of interest.
thanks for that
your welcome.
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Thanks.
So glad you enjoyed it.
Miriam Franco
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Interesting blog you got here but I can’t seem to find the RSS button.
It’s on the top right panel undernearth the search tool.
Well said! If I could write like this I would be well pleased. The more I read articles of such quality as this (which is rare), the more I think there could be a future for the Net. Keep it up, as it were.
Thank you.
This is an awesome post. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for reading it and responding.
An excellent post with good points, I have been a lurker right here for a while but wish to become more included in the foreseeable future.
Thank you. Feel free to check out my website: http://www.imagerywork.com where I specific guided imagery interventions to reduce stress, anxiety,
muscle tension, pain, fatigue and spasticity associated with MS, even injection anxiety.
found your site on del.icio.us today and really liked it.. i bookmarked it and will be back to check it out some more later
Thanks for your support.
My name is Piter Jankovich. oOnly want to tell, that your blog is really cool
And want to ask you: is this blog your hobby?
P.S. Sorry for my bad english
Thanks Piter, glad to know people around the world are finding this helpful. I am a psychologist and a professor and a MS specialist. I write this blog as a way to connect with MS issues both locally and globally and to spread the word on interventions that I strongly believe in and see their efficacy. I provide Guided Imagery to caregivers of MS and other chronic illnesses and see how beneficial it is and teach nurses and health professionals these techniques. So the blog is a way to stay connected with others and let them know that there really are things to try that help and work! If you are interested in learning more, check out my website:
http://www.imagerywork.com
Another new inclusion, I truly couldn’t have talked about it far better by myself.
Not bad article, but I really miss that you didn’t express your opinion, but ok you just have different approach
Thanks. My approach includes use of Relaxation and Guided Imagery to reduce muscle strain, tension, anxiety, guilt, frustration and to improve rest, sleep and short term immune function. It is an adjunctive intervention I use alongside of psychotherapy (where indicated) or training support group leaders, nurses, social workers and other health care professionals.
i probably would not have suspected this was useful some years in the past nevertheless it’s crazy how age changes the means by which you have an understanding of specific ideas, many thanks regarding the piece of writing it really is pleasing to look over some thing clever occasionally in lieu of the basic nonsense mascarading as a blog on the web, i’m going to play a few hands of facebook poker, cheers
Yes, this does become useful as one ages and experiences the complexity of the caregiving relationship. Glad you found it helpful.
Thank you for comment, glad it is helpful at this phase of life.
Hello Guru, what entice you to submit an page. This article was extremely exciting, specially since I was researching for thoughts on this subject last Thursday.
Glad you found it of interest. I write often on relieving stress and using relaxation and guided imagery to improve quality of life
in coping with illness, anxiety, depression, life transitions (weddings, caregiving), preparing for challenging situations (test anxiety, surgery, MRIs, chemo, injections, work stress) and in improving confidence and self-efficacy. If these topics are of interest, check out my website: http://www.imagerywork.com to learn more and sample guided imagery cds Thank you for feedback.
I read a article under the same title some time ago, but this articles quality is much, much better. How you do this?
Thanks. Perhaps it helps working with people directly, actually practicing Guided Imagery interventions with caregivers and I have consulted with caregiver agencies and health care industry on topic of caregiver strain and stress. Check out my website for related articles: http://www.imagerywork.com
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