Listen to the upcoming radio show (or a recording of it). Recording available on Caregiver SOS on iHeart radio.

A Caregiver is often under an extra stress load.

There are two types of caregivers, unpaid (usually family members) and paid professional caregivers.

Caregivers assist others with activities of daily living they can no longer do or that they struggle to do. It can include something as simple as food preparation to full care including bathing and other hygiene as well as spoon feeding.

Caregiving can be physically taxing and emotionally difficult creating chronic stress in the caregiver that, when the spouse is the caregiver, frequently causes the caregiver to give out before the one who is being cared for.

Chronic stress has negative effects on immune function, digestive function, cognitive abilities and other physical functions of the body. It also increases relationship difficulties.

The person receiving care may, despite the health impairment, feel more cared for and loved because of the care he or she is receiving, which lowers the stress level.

There are ways to lower stress without having to change circumstances. I am pleased that I will be on Joni Aldrich’s radio show this Wednesday allowing me to share some techniques caregivers can use to ease their burden. Please join us if you can. If you’re not able to listen on Wednesday, there will be a replay. The details are noted below.

I’m having a guest appearance on CAREGIVING SOS with show host and authorJoni Aldrich on Wednesday, 12/17/2014, 2:00-2:50 p.m. EST www.W4WN.com(Women 4 Women Network) and www.W4CS.com (Cancer Support Network). No downloads or Apps needed to listen. As more illnesses require complex and long-term treatments, the caregiver is the referee, pharmacist, medical assistant, and moral support for the patient–all without any formal training or enough sleep! (If you miss it, catch the rebroadcast on the Sat. after the show at 4:00 p.m. EST on both networks.)

If you, or a friend or co-worker, are caring for a parent, spouse, or child please share this with them. In our society caregivers often downplay their stress level–at work so they won’t be perceived as having split priorities and at home so they won’t make the person they’re caring for feel guilty. Stress can kill. The techniques I’ll share during the show can help ease their burden

Jeanine Joy understands what helps humans thrive. She is the Founder o fHappiness 1st Institute, Co-Founder of Achieve Affinity, and a Member of the Board of Directors of AWES International and the AWES Foundation.

Her research into understanding what creates resilience, good physical, mental, and emotional health, and strong relationships yielded answers. Drawing from many scientific disciplines and philosophies including positive psychology, sociology, quantum physics, psychoneuroimmunology and other sciences as they relate to what cultivates human thriving, she developed practical steps that empower individuals and organizations to thrive more. Because her focus addresses the root cause of human thriving, the benefits of her techniques extend into every area of life—making even difficult situations easier.

Her focus is on building strengths that are known to protect individuals from undesired outcomes and helping them overcome existing problems. Her work emphasizes what could go right and helps individuals create more thriving in their own lives.

She is the author of two books, True Prevention—Optimum Health: Remember Galileo and Prevent Suicide: The Smart Way and she also contributed toPerspectives on Coping and Resilience.