Module 2 – Stressful Situation

[admin]

If you prefer you can download the case study from here.

Concepts and skills introduced

• Stress and how to deal with it.
• My emotions in stressful situations.
• Emotion and rational thinking

Situation & Exercise

I am Alina (50) and my mum (84) since she was very young had heart problems. During her life she have been hospitalized almost every year. Heart problems have worsened over the past 10 years and other health problems have been added. At this moment she can’t hear, she can’t speak, walks with difficulties (we transport her with a wheelchair) and is almost blind.

We have tried to find someone to take care of her, without success. So, in the last decade my father take care of her, but he is an old man too, so, I have quit the job 4 years ago to help him. I am divorced, because my husband do not understand why I have quit of my job and why I take care of her. I have moved with my parents after I have quit of my job.

We stay in a block of flats on the 3rd floor, without a lift. You can imagine how difficult is for me and my dad to go outside with mum, but we try every 2-4 days out, depending on the weather.

All my day it is dedicated to my mum. I have some luck with my dad, he help me a lot, but he is an old man too, so … She need all our attention because of her multiple problems. We have the surprise to leave her alone in the room and to find her on the hall, fallen. At the beginning we gave her a kind of bell to use it when she need us, but during the time with her eyes problems she can’t see now where it is.

My “daily routine” starts at 6:30 and finish during the midnight. I wash her and change the diaper twice a day (sometimes three or four time/day), give her drugs, then I go to prepare the breakfast, lunch or dinner and give her to eat like to a little baby. After she eat, we go on a walk or I go to buy something and dad stay with her. The most stressful part is to find what she likes to eat. For example today she likes to eat sausages and eggs, but tomorrow vomit them so, we need to find something else to offer. We consider that we have a lucky day, when we can offer her the same meal like yesterday.

In the last months her panic attacks have increased. She is scared from anything, even if she no longer hears. We have call for ambulance 6 times during this year, because we can’t calm down.

About my free time. I can tell you that, at this moment, I do not know what this is. I feel like a robot, but I am happy I can stay with them and offer a little help. We are focused all the time on mum, she request our attention most of the time. When I go to bed I immediately fall asleep, like a suitcase forgotten on the platform.

So, in conclusion I have a very stressful life, but I can’t leave my parents alone.

Debate

Now that you have read about this case, try to reflect on what happened within the framework of the Managing stress you have acquired through PeerCare.

Try to reflect on these issues:

• What you should do if you are in Alina’s situation?
• In your opinion, what can Alina do to reduce her level of stress?
• What can Alina improve on her daily actions to have a life not so stressed?

What she can do to obtain more free time for herself?

[Emily]

This module approaches a topic that normally caregivers don’t talk about, which is the Stress and Pressure that we experience everyday. In the end of this module, I felt ready to start to use the tips that were given in my daily actions.

[Author]

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