Bonus Episode: "The Joys and Challenges of Caregiving" with Iris Waichler

Resources:

 https://iwaichlerwpengine.com/ 

https://twitter.com/IrisWaichler

https://www.choosingtherapy.com/iris-waichler/ 

Family Caregiver Alliance:

https://www.caregiver.org/ 

Senior Living options:

https://www.aplaceformom.com/

Welcome to today’s bonus episode “The Joys and Challenges of caregiving and how best to take care of YOURSELF as a caregiver”.  

There is a saying when boating in areas with shifting sand and shoals. “Local knowledge necessary to navigate safely”.  The same can be said for life.  When we come up against major issues that we have never experienced, it is smart and helpful to have someone who has been there before to guide you through the unknown territory.  

Iris Waichler, a licensed Social Worker, specializes in doing just that.  Iris has over 35 years of experience working with hospital patients, and their families, who are going through catastrophic health issues.  Her mission is to educate and empower people who feel overwhelmed by their own health challenges, and to support the caregivers of others.

Ms. Waichler found herself in the role of a patient when she battled infertility for many years. The feelings of loss and helplessness she personally experienced were profound. She promised herself if she was successful in having a child, she would do everything she could to help other people fighting infertility.

Seeing the struggles of others as well as her own, she knew that people needed to have a voice when they enter these unknown waters. 

Iris then found herself in yet another personal area of uncertainty.  That of caregiver to her own beloved father.  This experience led her to write a book “Role Reversal:  How to Take Care of Yourself and Your Aging Parents.  In the book she tells of different obstacles that came up and how she handled them.  The book is unique in that the first half is a memoir of her dad’s life which she wrote with him to chronicle his experience of being cared for coupled with that of her being a personal as well as professional caregiver.   In the second half she covers universal themes and challenges for caregivers as well as giving information, resources, and tips.

Some of the topics include:

-Caregiver mistakes

-Pre-planning

-Building a support network

-Burnout

-Respite care

-Finding assisted l