Kai became involved in a pilot project to raise awareness about youth caregiving and helped to create a youth support group.
Transcript
It started with the documentary and then we knew that that’s one of the things that needed to come out of this. And it was perfect timing because one of our young men who was caregiving for his mother, she was in the final stages of brain cancer or something to do with cancer in her brain. And him and myself were able to connect because I had just lost my dad about two years ago and he was losing his mom within a few months. And so, we were able to connect by me telling my experience and asking him, like, how are you doing? How are you coping? And so, even after session—like our group would end but we would be on Facebook chatting with one another. And so, we’re very close and I know that, without this supportive group, things probably could have been a lot different for him.
So I’m very grateful to the group for that. But for just even former youthcaregivers, we still come up to these things, to these support groups, because we still have things that we’re lingering with and we have issues with, and it’s great to know that it’s just a place where we come, we have a bite to eat, we enjoy each other’s company, we’re friends. We may be different in age and experience and stories but we know that our common ground is that we have been or still are caregivers. And so there’s no judging […] but it’s just a great place and to know that we’re not being analysed or notes are being taken, that this is essentially just a place for us to rant, to tell our stories, just to be together. And it’s a really great feeling to know that there’s, at least once or twice a week—no sorry, twice a month—that there’s these opportunities to be with these other youth.
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- Society and caregiving – KaiWhen Kai got a job, he didn’t tell his employer or colleagues that his father was ill. You don’t want to let everyone know that your family is not perfect.
- Resources – KaiKai became involved in a pilot project to raise awareness about youth caregiving and helped to create a youth support group.
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- Personal growth and transformation – KaiAlthough caregiving is hard, Kai thinks we should embrace the experience and learn from it.
- Interaction with professionals 2 – KaiKai suggests that healthcare professionals get to know their patient and family, especially when visiting their home. Get to know their likes and dislikes, and how they like things to be done.
- Interaction with professionals – KaiIn one of the most difficult moments, Kai and his father met an excellent doctor who was honest and made Kai feel included.
- Impact on professional life and career 2 – KaiKai became involved in a video project to raise awareness for youth caregiving, and helped start a youth support group.
- Impact on professional life and career – KaiKai started working to help out financially, but was so distracted by the situation at home that he was eventually fired.