Online Caregiver Coaching
for Family Members of Individuals Diagnosed
with Alzheimer's disease or another Dementia
In 2006, the Alzheimer's Association of Greater Cincinnati launched a Web site that provides Online Caregiver Coaching to family members of individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or another dementia. This program is offered free of charge to family caregivers within our service area. New participants are welcome! Please see the eligibility criteria below.
What is coaching?
Many people are familiar with the concept of personal coaching as it relates to career development, personal growth, physical fitness and healthy living. In this program, a coach provides individualized education, support, guidance and care planning assistance to caregivers of persons with dementia. The online availability of the coach, through a secured Web site, ensures that questions and needs are addressed on the caregiver's time schedule, with the coach usually responding within 24 hours. The coaching is performed by a master's level social worker with experience in dementia care and family issues.
Features of the Coaching Web Site
As a caregiver participant at www.alzcoaching.org, you are assigned a personal coach who will come to know your specific caregiving situation and provide support to guide you in addressing those issues.
The Web site provides a personalized online resource center, including a library of hand-selected materials from your coach on topics and issues of concern to you.
Your coach will assign articles, quick caregiving tips or links to helpful Web sites and community resources as you identify needs.
Online surveys are available to help you track your own health or caregiving challenges and provide useful information to your coach in order to better assist you.
A special section lists the goals that you and your coach have set together, and a journal feature allows you to document progress toward your goals or to log your thoughts, feelings and experiences.
You have the ability to communicate by email with your coach through the secured Web site so your privacy and confidentiality are always maintained. When your coach replies, you will receive an automated notification at your home or work email address informing you that a message is waiting on your personal membership page.
A Chat Center allows one-on-one meetings to be scheduled with your coach at your convenience, and a Forum section allows caregivers to post messages to one another on various topics.
Eligibility Requirements
To participate in the Online Caregiver Coaching program:
- Either the caregiver or the person diagnosed with dementia must reside within the service area of the Alzheimer's Association of Greater Cincinnati (click here to see our service area.)
- The caregiver must have internet access and an active email account.
- The caregiver must provide requested demographic information about the caregiver and the person with dementia.
- The caregiver must participate in evaluation of the program.
Please visit www.alzcoaching.org or send an email to Elise Sebastian, MSW, LSW at esebastian@alz.org for more information about the Online Caregiver Coaching program.
Various programs and services of the Alzheimer's Association are funded ipart by the Ohio Department of Aging through the Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio and the Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. All services are provided without regard to race, age, color, religion, sex, disability, national origin, or ancestry.
