Meet our Caregiver Coach – Aspen Senior Care

With so many families caring for a loved one with dementia, we decided it was important to have a family caregiver coach on our Aspen Team to support and encourage caregivers.

What is a Caregiver Coach?

Often families are so caught up in the day-to-day challenges of caregiving they don’t know where to go to find help. A caregiver coach is someone who meets with families and helps them find support and resources specific to their needs.

Our caregiver coaches will help you by:

• educating families about the type of dementia their loved one has
• offering ideas for creating a safe home environment
• being a listening ear for caregiver challenges and frustrations
• helping problem solve challenging behaviors and situations
• finding support groups the caregiver might feel comfortable attending
• helping families access respite, in-home care, and adult day programs in the area.

Aspen Senior Care has a Caregiver Coach!

Karen Rodgers is Aspen’s Family Caregiver Coach

Karen Rogers is our Family Caregiver Coach. She has received special training and has worked with the local Area on Aging to help families navigate the challenges of dementia care. She is a CNA and has served as a professional caregiver for 10 years and also as a supervisor. Karen is also currently a family caregiver to her in-laws.

Karen is happy to help anyone with questions or concerns about caregiving. She can help find community resources, support groups, or help families understand what is happening with their loved one’s illness and offer ideas about coping with challenging behaviors.

Here is an example of how Karen has helped some of our clients:

Recently Karen met with two amazing ladies who are in their 80’s. Rachel was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease last year and her friend, Barbara has been caring for her but having some difficulty keeping up with the changes Rachel was experiencing.  Food would disappear from the fridge and Barbara would find it several days later, spoiled in the garage or bedroom. Sometimes she’d never find it. Rachel couldn’t remember taking it or where she put it.  Barbara was also wearing herself out constantly caring for and supervising Rachel, who couldn’t be left alone for very long.

Clients love creating their own works of art at the Aspen Senior Day Center

Barbara and Karen brain-stormed about the food issue and Barbara ended up putting a safety lock on the fridge. She just uses it at night and it has helped with food disappearing.

Karen also suggested Rachel attend the Aspen Senior Day Center (an adult day care center) two times a week. Barbara was really hesitant about this at first, not thinking Rachel would like it. However, Rachel loves it! She has made some new friends and especially loves doing crafts. Barbara has decided she really likes it, too. She hadn’t realized how tired she was and now she uses this time to rest so she can enjoy time spent with Rachel when she comes home.

Aspen Senior Care takes a team approach to dementia care and wants to help you meet your caregiving goals!

Meeting with our Family Caregiver Coach is a complimentary service we offer.

If you have questions please call us at 801-224-5910 or call Karen directly at 385-208-8709. We are here to be of service.