MESSAGES: AN ELECTRONIC METHOD TO SUPPORT STRATEGIES FOR LEARNING HOW TO MANAGE STRESS

Although many caregivers of seniors find their role rewarding, it is recognized that these responsibilities can also lead to anxiety, stress and exhaustion. The MeSSAGES program (MeSSAGES is an acronym for Méthode électronique de soutien aux stratégies d'apprentissage à la gestion du stress) is designed to help caregivers of seniors with physical or cognitive impairments so that they can better manage their stress as caregivers. 

This stress management training and support program for caregivers is followed on an online platform over a period of seven consecutive weeks. Each weekly session lasts 60 to 90 minutes. Participants use a computer to read and complete a series of exercises, so caregivers can take the program without any need to travel. A health professional provides guidance and support as each caregiver learns new and more effective ways of managing the difficulties and stress often experienced by caregivers. Throughout the program, participants have opportunities to talk with other caregivers in a private discussion forum. 

In short, the content of the MeSSAGES program covers:

1. Learning about the steps in the stress management process; 
2. Becoming aware of one’s situation as a caregiver and various aspects of this situation; 
3. Analyzing the situation and selecting a challenge that the caregiver would like to see change, and formulating a goal to achieve with respect to this desired change; 
4. Clarifying the challenge selected, and learning appropriate strategies for dealing with it; 
5. Becoming aware of the importance of choosing a strategy that is well suited to the situation. Choosing a strategy and trying it out; 
6. Evaluating how well the goal set at the start has been achieved; 
7. Reviewing the steps in the stress management process.

MeSSAGES was developed and evaluated by teams from the Desjardins Research Chair in Nursing Care for Older People and their Families and the Marguerite-d'Youville Research Chair on Humanistic Nursing Interventions at Université de Montréal. The caregivers who took part in MeSSAGES felt that the training made them were more effective in their caregiving role and more in control of the situation. In addition, some caregivers felt more comfortable managing caregiving situations with their loved one and reported less risk to their own health. They also said that they had tried strategies to help them cope better with their caregiving role.
 

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