First of Two Articles

A group of service agencies in Waukesha, Wisconsin is using a Caregiver Simulation Project to educate employers about the needs of their employees who are caring for aging relatives. With grant funding from the local United Way in www.unitedwaywaukesha.org the group held a first-ever event at Carroll University that was attended by representatives of local businesses.

I recently interviewed four of the key organizers of the event: Kathy Gale executive director, Carrie Anderson, program manager, and Marie Honel, community outreach coordinator at Interfaith Senior Programs www.interfaithwaukesha.org, and Lynda Markut, workplace education coordinator for the Alzheimer's Association of Southeast Wisconsin www.alz.org.

JPM: Is this project part of a larger initiative of the United Way?

Gale: This is part of a United Way caregiver consortium grant to bring about a better awareness and understanding of the services and other assistance available to caregivers. There are three components: awareness, access, and assistance. We did a focus group about a year ago and we learned that the caregivers in the county were having a difficult time finding the services available to them, even though the supply of services is very good.

Markut: The local Area Agency on Aging did some important background work on this issue and gave us some good materials they had developed to give corporations a better understanding as to how they would benefit from supporting caregivers.

JPM: How did this project come about?

Gale: One area of focus for the local United Way is the local business community. So, wanted to help raise awareness for employers to know what their caregivers are going through - and how hard it is to manage their jobs with the responsibilities for caregiving. And, rather continue to go out and make presentations, we wanted to offer something that is more hands- on. We wanted participants to leave the event saying "Boy, that is difficult. I walked in their shoes for a short time and I really "get" this." So, we looked at the model of poverty simulation that has been used successfully for many years in many places. We based our event on this model.

JPM: How does the Caregiver Simulation event work?

Gale: A group of HR professionals and business owners were invited to come to an event and spend about 45 minutes using a written scenario to experience what it's like to be a caregiver. Each participant had assigned tasks to accomplish. These business people then interacted with others who represented service coordinators at different "stations" located throughout a large meeting room. They were asked to talk to the representatives at the stations and attempt to have their needs met.

In addition, two participants had individuals assigned to them who played the role of care recipient. The "caregiver" had to take the care recipient along with them to visit the stations and engage them in the process of learning about and selecting services.

JPM: What were the stations that the participants visited and how did they interact?

Markut: First, we gathered everyone in a large room and they completed a pre-test survey and they were given a general instructions and an overview of the services offered. Next, they undertook the 45- minute exercise by visiting the stations. Finally, they all re-convened as a large group where they participated in a facilitated discussion and completed a post-test.

There were stations for housing, adult day care, doctors, counseling and support groups, computer, county services, and employer benefit station. There were five different scenarios, each with five different action plans where the participants were given different sets of priorities for the services they were to obtain.

Next Month: Part Two of our article on the Caregiver Simulation Project will highlight the results of the event.