Courage to Caregivers

I am a problem solver. The problem I’ve chosen to tackle is caregiver burnout. Did you know that the stress of caregiving has been found to take up to ten years off a caregivers life?

I founded a nonprofit, Courage to Caregivers, with the mission to provide hope, support and courage to caregivers and loved ones of those living with mental illness - we’re in the caregiver burnout prevention business.

If I had the privilege of being selected as an Elevate Prize winner, I would use the funds to spread the word and work of our mission to support caregivers far and wide. The pandemic has afforded us a silver lining to expand our work beyond Northeast Ohio – and we see that there is a tremendous need and an increase in demand for our services to support family caregivers.

We also see the need to support professional caregivers of ALL kinds – pandemic frontline workers, behavioral health clinicians, social workers, teachers, and more – and we know that our programs work. We can’t remove the stress of caregiving – yet, we can equip caregivers with tools for greater resilience and empower them to better cope/manage the stress of caring.

I’m a caregiver. After supporting my brother through 4 years of suicidal ideation due to living with anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and his eventual suicide, I was left feeling isolated and alone, filled with guilt and shame, and 40 pounds heavier from unhealthy coping strategies for my stress of caregiving. Supporting my brother took every ounce of who I was during those years. The stress of caregiving was literally killing me.

Almost at the very moment that he lost his battle with mental illness to suicide, I knew I had to do something to support other caregivers – no one should take this journey of providing care to someone they love ALONE.

I had tried many different types of support groups and always left feeling worse than when I walked in. My vision was for a community of care, where caregivers are empowered, inspired and leave each session feeling hopeful for the future.

By providing life-changing skills, resources and tools as well as a safe community for caregivers, Courage to Caregivers not only vastly improves their lives, we are undeniably strengthening the lives and improving the outcomes of their loved ones living with mental illness as well.

We’re in the caregiver burnout prevention business.

The pervasive presence of mental health issues in our society is a worldwide public health crisis. Before the pandemic, 1 in 4 people were living with mental illness globally – that means 1 in 4 OTHER people are providing care to someone living with mental illness. Due to the pandemic the number of cases of mental illness has almost doubled to 4 in 10.

We have three innovative program models to support caregivers in preventing caregiver burnout: Caregiver Peer Support, Breathing Meditation classes and Support Groups.

We have seen how the lives of caregivers have improved, and the unexpected positive impact on their families and relationships. To change the world – you need start somewhere. We are changing the world, one family at a time.

We are providing safe places and programs through which caregivers can confidentially share intensely personal issues, experiences, and struggles. We’re building a sense of community where caregivers no longer feel alone and isolated. We are empowering and encouraging caregivers to develop new coping skills, prioritize and balance their own emotional and physical health so that they are better prepared to take care of their loved one.

We know from our focus groups that caregivers are interested in personalized, individual support. We believe our Caregiver Peer Support program is the first of its kind for caregivers of those living with mental illness. Many other organizations supporting those with mental illness focus on the person living with mental illness and have their own peer support programs. Caregivers deserve someone who will listen without judgement, too!

We are confident in our innovative approach to improving public health. All of our programs follow a curriculum of our own design and focus on coaching life skills, not counseling or therapy. We empower caregivers in building skills of resilience in order to better cope and manage the stress of caregiving. They are encouraged to set goals for their own personal growth, health and well-being. These efforts significantly impact and improve their daily lives, thereby improving the care they provide to their loved ones.

Our unique Breathing Meditation classes combine the best of both breathing techniques and guided meditation teaching caregivers how to take (effective) lifesaving deep breaths.

When caregivers are able to improve their own health and well-being, their relationships with their loved ones improve dramatically and entire families are being transformed.

The impact of our programs is measured through these outcomes:

(1)  Stress of caregiving measured through weekly programs and monthly via Perceived Stress Scale (PSS).

(2)  Caregivers report improved satisfaction with life in end-of-year interview.

(3)  Caregiver improved inner/personal strength and resilience is self-reported through number of personal goals achieved and measured monthly.

Our 2019 and 2020 program data proved all three of our programs have reduced the stress of caregiving and improved satisfaction with life. On average, participants reported that participation in breathing meditation reduced stress by 48% and support groups by 36%.

Due to the pandemic, we morphed our programs to a virtual format and have seen an 86% increase in participants, a 95% increase in weekly attendance and broader geographic reach.

A participant experience that captures our impact: “When I joined the group my stress level was extremely high and I was consumed by my efforts to help a family member with severe depression. The well thought-out materials that are presented and discussed at meetings, weekly breathing meditation, and goal setting activities have helped me rediscover personal interests. Participation in the group is helping me lower my overall anxiety level and reclaim a more balanced life.”