Family and Caregiving Challenges

NEW! Anticipatory Grief: Coping with the Dread of Future Loss
Depending on your loved one’s illness, you may actually grieve for a very long time before death or other dreaded event occurs. Patients also mourn their own decline, and everyone concerned is likely to experience anxiety over the progressive loss of terminal illness. In this workshop, families and professionals will learn how to face the reality of today and lessen the burden of present worry and future sorrow. To schedule this presentation, contact us at (303) 398-6326 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

NEW! Staying Afloat in the Face of Constant Caring

Professional and family caregivers are like marathon runners who must pace themselves for the long journey that compassionate care requires. We know that self-care is essential, but what does that look like? How do we do it? Are there shortcuts we can take when there is no end in sight and help seems out of reach? The answer is Yes! And in this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to identify the subtle signs of overwhelm along with some easy, yet effective, ways in which to stay positive, grounded, and effective. To schedule this presentation, contact us at (303) 398-6326 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

The Family Challenge of Illness

Chronic, advanced, or terminal illness is not an individual crisis. It is a family challenge. Illness threatens to destabilize the family system, thus impacting everyone in that family system. Family members must learn different responses and skills to meet the challenges of each stage of the illness: acute, chronic, and terminal. Understanding the family structure, communication styles, beliefs, and multigenerational patterns is helpful for pastoral and healthcare professionals as well as family members. To schedule this presentation, contact us at (303) 398-6326 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

The Costs of Caring: The Impact of Caregiving on Men

Longer life expectancies and demographic trends have made caregiving a concern for all of us. Traditionally women have been the primary caregivers. But today, more men are involved in caregiving. It is important to recognize and understand the differences − and similarities − between men and women caregivers. Quite often due to different communication styles, social support, and approaches to grieving, men experience the role of caregiver differently than women. To schedule this presentation, contact us at (303) 398-6326 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

The Big Squeeze: The Challenges of the Sandwich Generation 

The Sandwich Generation is comprised of people who care for their aging parents while raising and supporting their own children. Balancing the needs of our parents with those of our children poses financial, emotional, physical, and spiritual challenges. As the needs increase, we begin to feel squeezed for time, money, patience, emotions, and faith. It’s important to recognize that balance cannot be achieved if we disregard our own health and wellbeing in the process. Join us to acknowledge the challenges and to explore available resources to maintain and sustain a balanced life. To schedule this presentation, contact us at (303) 398-6326 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

  

Creating Communities of Care

More than 65 million people in the United States are serving as primary caregivers. They face the daily challenges posed by chronic, advanced, or terminal illnesses. In addition, healthcare systems are stressed, families are geographically scattered, and technology serves to isolate and insulate us. Creating a community of care provides family members, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and volunteers a relational approach to caregiving to meet the diverse and varied needs of the patient and family. To schedule this presentation, contact us at (303) 398-6326 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Compassion Fatigue: Moving from Secondary Trauma to Compassion Satisfaction

To witness the suffering of another person (emotionally, spiritually, or physically) puts us at risk of experiencing compassion fatigue—now called “secondary or vicarious trauma.” In this engaging workshop, you will learn how to recognize the symptoms of this condition, in yourself and your colleagues, and find ways to engage in behaviors that are healthy as well as compassionate. To schedule this presentation, contact us at (303) 398-6326 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

A Port in the Storm: Riding the Waves of Change

It’s a paradox: To achieve continuity, we have to be willing to change. Change is, in fact, the only way to protect whatever exists, for without continuous readjustment the present cannot continue. The refusal to change will not guarantee that whatever we care about stays the same. It only assures that whatever we care about has been deprived of the very thing it needs in order to survive. Relationships. Careers. Health. Each of these things is being primed for destruction if it does not change over time.

“Change” happens suddenly; the transition takes time, patience, and courage. Change begins with an ending; it ends with a beginning. The transition is the space and time needed to let go of what was while creating and embracing what is yet to come. That takes amazing courage, some would call it faith. Regardless, times of transition can be unsettling and disturbing. So, seek a port in the storm from which to determine how best to navigate the transitions. Please join us to explore the challenges as well as the opportunities prompted by the changes associated with serious and/or terminal illness. To schedule this presentation, contact us at (303) 398-6326 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Venus and Mars at the End of Life

In recent decades there has been significant research into the experience of dying and grieving from multicultural, multispiritual, and even socioeconomic viewpoints. But there has been little attention paid to the ways that men and women differently approach the final stage of their lives. The distinction finds its greatest expression in how men and women construct meaning, evaluate self-worth, and communicate. This session unpacks these gender distinctions at the end of life as a guide for healthcare and human service professionals, pastoral care providers, and even family members. Helpful strategies for working with the distinctions to improve communication and identify and address patient concerns are also offered. To schedule this presentation, contact us at (303) 398-6326 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .