After hearing Jeff Lee and Susan Stoker’s stories, CBS News Miami looked into the options that are available to help with the emotional toll of caregiving for those living with Parkinson’s disease, even in cases like Jeff’s, where they can’t get away. But help is available.
Finding a moment
Once a month, caregivers for those living with Parkinson’s disease meet on Zoom.
“I just signed us up for this yesterday, so it’s kind of been good to talk to Rita just about a lot of different things,” said one caregiver while introducing herself to the group.
This is the Nova Southeastern University Parkinson’s Support Group for caregivers.
“It’s very convenient to do on Zoom,” another participant said.
In conjunction with NSU, the group meets monthly. For caregivers who feel they can’t make it to an in-person meet-up, virtual is an option.
Doctor Ashley Stripling works with the virtual group and is the director of NSU’s Counseling Center for Older Adults.
“If we’re talking about those emotions, that feeling anger, resentment, frustration, sometimes those come because caregivers are sacrificing part of themselves to provide care, and when we give too much, when we try to pour out of that empty cup, what happens is we develop some of these normal reactions to stress,” she said
Stripling said it’s totally normal to feel complicated emotions, and that caregivers need to look for simple ways to destress.
“For some people, it’s a warm bath. For some people, it’s they want to go for a brisk walk and get outside. For some people, they want to be in the garden. They want to cook themselves a good meal that they enjoy. For some people, it’s yoga, it’s mindfulness, it’s meditation,” she said. “There are a bunch of self-care activities.”
The goal is to help caregivers like Stocker and Lee get the help they need and be kind to themselves, so they can continue their caregiving journey.
Finding caregiver help
Looking for help at home? Francisca Senhouse was able to find some assistance. She’s caring for her sister with Parkinson’s, who also had a stroke. Senhouse was stressed.
“I didn’t know what to do,” she said. “I felt lost. I felt alone. I didn’t know who to turn to, where to go.”
Then she found Broward’s Area Agency on Aging help line. That was the right call for her.
“Initially, it took forever for me to even locate that they were in existence, but once I was able to find them, they immediately got on the ball and were able to give me some other resources, other places to go,” she said.
Soon, Senhouse had someone who could get her some help.
“They gave me an aide to help bathe her because I could not do the shower,” she said. “And I said, ‘Listen, my back is killing me they won’t give me a transport chair, the insurance wouldn’t give it to me, and he found me one.”
Kevin Corriveau helped Senhouse.
“Caregiving is not a journey that you have to take by yourself,” he said. “We’re here to hold your hand and help you through that process,” he said.
Corriveau helps build a roadmap for caregivers and their loved ones looking for help.
“So we’re able to help with many things, whether it’s minor home repairs, help with the FPL bill through our E heat program, we also have healthcare navigator tools and different programs such as the Medicaid Long Term Care Program and community care for the elderly,” he said.
