Dr. Regina Koepp - Understanding Older Family Dynamics and What Are the 6 Stages of Caregiving?

Dr. Regina Koepp is the founder and CEO of Gero Champions, a company that provides training and education to enhance the mental health and wellness of older adults and their families. Dr. Koepp is the creator and host of the Psychology of Aging Podcast where she discusses aging and caregiving. She has been featured in the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Insider, and is a contributing writer at Psychology Today.

Topics of Discussion:

• [02:12] Introduction
• [02:58] What is the best way to study caregiving and what are some of the important roles of a caregiver?
• [09:14] What do you think it is like to be a caregiver during the pandemic?
  • This is a very painful time, please take care of yourself. If you or someone you know is in crisis or struggling with thoughts about harming yourself or others, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255  or click on the link: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/
• [12:21] What policies need to be changed to better support caregivers?
• [16:50] Loved ones doing the caregiving many times are scrutinized by Families members
• [18:15] The Caregiver’s Journey, discussing the 6 stages of caregiving
  • [18:28] Stage 1: Pre -caregiving stage
  • [21:35] Stage 2: Early caregiving stage - "The Ambiguous Caregiver"
  • [26:24] Stage 3: "Yes, I'm a caregiver - There is no denying it"
  • [30:17] Stage 4: Moving toward death - "The Steward Stage"
  • [33:01] Stage 5: The bereavement stage - Your loved one has passed and you're grieving
  • [34:02] Stage 6: The rebuilding stage
• [37:54] What are some things the average person can do to maintain their mental health as they grow older?
• [40:56] Why do you think it’s so uncomfortable in our culture to discuss aging and end-of-life plans?
• [43:19] Which has a bigger impact on mental health for older adults?

Dr. Regina Koepp is a board-certified Clinical Psychologist, Gerontologist, former Assistant Professor at Emory University School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences assistant professor, and former staff psychologist at the Atlanta VA Health Care System (VAHCS), where for more than a decade she provided direct patient care and consultation on the Gero-Psychiatry Outpatient Mental Health team.

This is a very painful time, please take care of yourself. If you or someone you know is in crisis or struggling with thoughts about harming yourself or others, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or click on the link: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/

Learn more about Dr. Koepp at https://www.drreginakoepp.com/

You can also watch our interview on Youtube: https://youtu.be/6Ok2dbYg3uY