What Prevents Family Caregivers Changing ?

Listening to a family caregiver can pinpoint their problems and find out why they cannot change.. The care manager doing a caregiver assessment can use a technique called generalization. Based  neuro linguistic programming  (NLP)  model developed by Grinder and Bandler, this model is based on language with words that stop us from change. In a generalization the  caregiver uses universal quantifier’s like” never,” “nowhere”, “none”, “no one”, “nobody”, ‘always” “can’t” .Mrs. Handy our family caregiver, had created an impoverished model of coping that blocked her dealing with her Dad.

The care manager Ms. Helpmate reconnected Ms. Handy’s model with her experience, Ms. Handy herself had changed many time in their lives, which meant change was possible. The geriatric care manager needed to help the caregiver change the perceived insurmountable obstacles which Ms. Handy had built, “ My Dad will never go to bed earlier. “ “My family will never help me with my Dad’s care”,  “ I always have to take care of my Dad because I am the oldest daughter.”

The care manager ,by identifying Ms. Handy’s impoverished model of her experiences.  listening to her words, is alerted by these universal quantifier: never always, was able to create a rich new model of reality for Ms. Handy by creating choices based on distinctions, which were previously not there. Ms. Handy’s sister and brother would help her by offering respite, Mr. Wilson could change his bedtime, and Ms. Handy could endure her Dad’s anger at changing his bedtime, with the caregiver’s support.

Mrs. Handy the caregiver heard herself and began to change.