Adult Caregivers Employee Resource Group: True Stories in Caregiving
Date: Tuesday, September 12, 2023 | Time: 12:00 – 1:00pm | Location: Virtual – Zoom
Event Description
Hear from caregivers just like you!
Real stories from caregivers are powerful and moving. Hearing these deeply personal experiences firsthand helps us realize that we’re not alone. Many other people are on similarly challenging journeys. We share 3 individual stories, over 3 monthly sessions, from seasoned caregivers where they discuss the battle-tested coping tips that kept them going when things got really tough.
An Employee Resource Group is a free employee-led group (open to all MSU employee types including faculty, academic, support staff, and post-docs) that fosters inclusivity and builds community for those with common lived experiences by providing group discussion and learning opportunities, programming, and platforms for sharing resources. The Adult Caregiving Employee Resource Group (Adult Caregiving ERG) is a place for Spartans to connect on adult caregiving issues (including elder care and other adult care, like adult children, spouses, etc.). The goal of the group is to discuss related topics with the goal of connecting, sharing resources, building community, and sharing best practices regarding adult caregiving.
The Adult Caregiving ERG meets on the 2nd Tuesday from 12-1 pm during the academic year in the form of educational Zoom webinars, interactive “Ask the Expert” panel format meetings, as well as in-person family-friendly programs and events.
No membership is needed and there is no cost to attend.
Learning Objectives
- Navigating the increased changes, challenges, and responsibilities of caregiving
- Developing psychological flexibility and resilience
- Responding to challenges with value-guided behavior
- Resilience and commitment
About the Speaker: Jessie Byelich, LLMSW, 2022-2023 Social Work Student of the Year
Jessie Byelich is a recent MSU Master of Social Work Graduate and a Counselor for the MSU Employee Assistance Program. Prior to her graduation, Jessie began her fieldwork education as an MSW intern at the MSU WorkLife Office during the 2021-22 academic year and completed her requirements at the MSU EAP and Spartan Resilience Training Program this past year. She is currently employed with Employee Assistance Program(EAP).
Jessie proudly identifies as a Spartan and also as a caregiver. In June of 2014, Jessie’s spouse was diagnosed with a massive petroclival meningioma brain tumor. At the time Jessie was 34 weeks pregnant with their second child. For the past nine years (and counting), through many ups and downs, Jessie has been her husband’s primary caregiver.
