Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Learning to be caregivers for people with chronic conditions
Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Learning to be caregivers for people with chronic conditions

Lorena Chaparro Diaz
Lina Paola  Buitrago Ubaque
Sonia Patricia Carreño Moreno

Instructors: Lorena Chaparro Diaz

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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level
No prior experience required
14 hours to complete
3 weeks at 4 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level
No prior experience required
14 hours to complete
3 weeks at 4 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • The current context of caring for people with chronic illnesses.

  • Learn key concepts about caregiving roles and how to manage emotional and physical challenges like anxiety, depression, loneliness, and burnout.

  • Global research results on the profile and health of family caregivers.

  • Evidence-based strategies to support caregivers and improve their quality of life.

Details to know

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Recently updated!

November 2024

Assessments

8 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 5 modules in this course

Considering that the course is aimed at people interested in the work of being a caregiver and the ways in which their care can be promoted to achieve quality of life, it is necessary to know their previous experiences on the subject and thus enable them to articulate the basic concepts. It is intended that by familiarizing themselves with keywords related to caring for caregivers, participants will be able to understand basic aspects that significantly affect the execution of the role. The topics to be covered include: ●Caregiver context. ●Statement of topics such as:○ Caregiver types. ○Types of health conditions. ○Transition of the caregiver role and possible situations. The skills we aim to strengthen include: ●Adaptability. ●Knowledge management. ●Creative thinking.

What's included

1 video3 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt1 plugin

When talking about a chronic health condition, the focus is usually on the patient, ignoring the realities and needs of the caregiver. This lack of visibility prevents this role from being valued, so it is necessary for the caregiver to reflect independently on the environment in which they find themselves, the dynamics with the person being cared for, and the support networks they have, in order to identify in time, the challenges and facilitators that influence the care process. By becoming aware of the characteristics of the health condition of the person receiving care and the particularities of their role, they will be able to value the work they perform and thus more easily face the realities of caregiving. The topics to be covered include: ●Caregiver context. ●Caregiving context. ●Acute and chronic health conditions. ●Difference between acute and chronic health conditions. The skills we aim to strengthen include:

What's included

5 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt1 plugin

Most people have performed care work for others at some point in their lives; however, whenit comes to caring for patients with chronic health conditions, it is necessary to be clear aboutthe role to be assumed as it suggests emotional and physical support that provides well-beingto the individual being cared for, but without losing sight of one's own quality of life.Therefore, it is important to know what types of caregivers there are, in order to positiononeself in the corresponding one and identify who can support this task.Being able to adopt the role of caregiver is not acquired immediately; it requires a continuousprocess of adaptation to the new reality, in order to redefine identity and purpose, for whichthe caregiver will go through some planned phases that will help him/her gain sufficientconfidence in his/her new role. The topics to be covered include: ●Types of caregivers. ●Caregiver role. ●Transition to the caregiver role. The skills we aim to strengthen include: ●Critical thinking. ●Analysis capacity. ●Caregiving management.

What's included

5 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt1 plugin

Taking on the role of caregiver implies a significant change in the life project, so it is necessary to identify in a timely manner what the execution of the work consists of and the skills to be developed or strengthened. Because it is an abrupt change, it takes caregivers without preparation and prior knowledge, so it is necessary to consider the learning curve that is required and pay attention to the progress and lessons learned.However, it is possible that, during the transition to this new role, unfavorable response patterns for the quality of life of the caregiver may arise, making it necessary to identify the emotions, conditions and factors of incidence. The topics to be covered include: ●Transition to the Caregiver Role and Response Patterns. ●Response patterns arising from the transition to the caregiver role. ●Cognitive and instrumental skills and their impact on the caregiving role. The topics to be covered include: ●Critical thinking. ●Initiative. ●Information management. ●Caregiving skills.

What's included

3 videos3 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt

When a caregiver experiences constant episodes of loneliness, depression, and anxiety, it is very likely that overload will arise and from there the impact on their physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and economic health. It is therefore necessary to identify the relevant strategies to address it and prevent the caregiver from becoming a patient with a hidden chronic disease.However, the impact generated by care is not always negative. After going through the phase of role organization; strengthening cognitive and instrumental skills and having a support network whom to delegate tasks to, it is possible for the caregiver to direct their life project, based on the lessons learned. The topics to be covered include: ●Overload and quality of life of the caregiver. ●Factors that can influence the caregiver's overload and quality of life. ●Healthy and unhealthy effects of caregiving. ●Levels of the caregiver's role. The skills we aim to strengthen include: ●Critical thinking. ●Problem solving. ●Analytical skills.

What's included

4 videos3 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt1 plugin

Instructors

Lorena Chaparro Diaz
Universidad Nacional de Colombia
4 Courses96 learners
Lina Paola  Buitrago Ubaque
Universidad Nacional de Colombia
2 Courses78 learners

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