Powerful Tools for Caregivers - Program History

Powerful Tools for Caregivers (PTC) was developed by Legacy Health System’s Caregiver Services Department as a 6-week educational program to provide family caregivers with tools to increase their self-care and confidence. PTC first began as a 3-year demonstration project. Funding was originally provided by the Meyer Memorial Trust, with later grants from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Northwest Health Foundation, and the Good Samaritan Foundation.

Research studies find high rates of depression and anxiety among caregivers and increased vulnerability to health problems. Caregivers frequently cite restriction of personal activities and social life as problems. They often feel they have no control over events, and that feeling of powerlessness has a significant negative impact on caregivers' physical and emotional health.

In the six 2-hour classes, caregivers develop a wealth of self-care tools to: reduce personal stress; change negative self-talk; communicate their needs to family members and healthcare/ service providers; communicate more effectively in challenging situations; recognize the messages in their emotions, deal with difficult feelings; and make tough caregiving decisions (re: placement, driving issues, or finances). Class participants also receive a copy of The Caregiver Helpbook, developed specifically for the class.

In the years since the PTCprogram was conceived, a great deal of research, evaluation and revision has been done to ensure its continued value and success. The 6-week PTCclass has been shown to have a positive impact on caregiver health for a diverse group of caregivers including rural, ethnic minorities, adult children of aging parents, well-spouses, caregivers at differing stages in their caregiving role, living situations, financial and educational backgrounds. Data from class participant evaluations indicates:

• Significant improvement in behaviors: increased exercise, use of relaxation techniques and health self-care
• Improved emotions, including reduced anger, guilt, and depression
• Increased self-efficacy in coping with caregiving demands
• Increased use of community services

PTC is based on the highly successful Chronic Disease Self-Management Program developed by Dr. Kate Lorig and her colleagues at Stanford University’s Patient Education Research Center. The foundation of Lorig’s model is enhancing the self-efficacy (that is, self-confidence) of people with chronic illness. Powerful Tools for Caregiversis a national program sustained by extensive collaborations with community-based organizations. The program has reached over 15,000 family caregivers in over 20 states.

This comment from one class participant sums it up nicely. “… I was on the verge of depression. By taking this class, I now take care of myself by doing for myself.”

For information about the PTC program, contact:

Leslie Congleton, Legacy Caregiver Services, 1015 NW 22^nd Avenue Portland, OR 97210