Caregivers of people living with dementia experience significant stress which can negatively affect their mental health. URCaregiver is a psychoeducational resource for family caregivers of people living with dementia developed by researchers at the University of Regina with input of caregiver partners. The goal of the app is to share practical information and strategies to help manage the stress that caregivers might be experiencing. The app describes situations that many caregivers can experience and offers various ways to handle them.
The app contains seven modules covering different topics and strategies:
1) the impact of stress on caregivers’ mental health
2) recognizing signs of stress
3) identifying and managing distressing thoughts
4) relaxation strategies
5) problem-solving techniques
6) social support and resources caregivers
7) incorporating self-care strategies
Each module is designed to build on the previous ones, and we recommend that users work on them in order. Throughout each module, we will be providing exercises to complete and practice the skills discussed. As with any other skill, the more practice, the more useful the various tools that we provide through this app will become. Users can also return to a previous module to review and repeat the exercises. In addition, users can download or print some of the exercises for references.