by Sean B. Pasternak
For the 50 plus generation, chances are very good that if you're not currently giving care for an elderly parent or spouse, you may be in the not-too-distant future. Because caregiving can be such a tedious, strenuous and often frustrating experience, information and support for caregivers is key.
This is the premise behind 'Caregiving with June Callwood', a new weekly television program being aired Sunday nights on Prime TV. Callwood, a renowned journalist and activist throughout Canada, appears as the program's host each week. She calls the show "an idea whose time has more than come".
According to Callwood, the show's interactive live format benefits many of the caregivers, mainly because they have never had this kind of a support system before. "(The show) is reassuring people out there that they're not the only ones," Callwood says. "Isolation is the biggest problem right now."
In fact, recent statistics prove that caregiving is taking a bigger role than ever for many Canadians. 1/3 of baby boomers have a parent or an in-law who has suffered a stroke. In addition, the number of Canadians 65 and up will increase to almost 5 million by the year 2011.
The format of 'Caregiving with June Callwood' actually allows viewers to see just how many people in their situation there really are. Through telephone call-ins, fax, e-mail and the program's Internet site (www.caregiver.on.ca), Callwood and co-host Dr. Irvin Wolkoff answer questions, interview caregiving professionals and even have panel discussions on a wide variety of topics.
The 13-part series will feature a mixture of taped and live segments, with news and information coming in from around the world. In fact, not only is caregiving discussed, but a relatively new issue, care for the caregivers.
"The assumption is that the caregiver is competent and resourceful," Callwood says. "There's kind of a myth that says only the person being cared for is in need of attention, when, really, the caregiver can be more of a concern."
According to Callwood, she and Dr. Wolkoff will be speaking to many industry experts throughout the series. "The people who are coming on are some of the most knowledgeable people in the industry," she says.
The first episode, which aired February 1, dealt with issues such as depression in the elderly. Lack of (or too much) sleep, lack of eating and talking about death constantly, apparently are big signs of depression. "You're best to get a professional opinion," she advises of people in such a situation. "But there are medications out there. It can be helped."
Looking back at the first episode, Callwood says it was "less ragged than I expected it to be.
"Technically, the next show will be much smoother, but the feedback we've received has been extraordinary. It's been an amazing response."
Indeed, Callwood is looking forward to future episodes of the program. "I'm delighted," says the author of some 28 books. "We've got an intelligent team backing us up."
'Caregiving with June Callwood' can be seen Sundays at 5:00 p.m. on Prime TV.
