Who cares for the caregivers?
The answer in many cases is themselves, and for that reason a short film series that uses the Yukon as the setting for some of its episodes aims to offer them tools. Caregivers in the Wild, a 19-episode documentary series is one of the projects hosted on storiesforcaregivers.com. According to the site, the caregivers in question are the more than 8 million Canadians who take on the care and well-being of anyone with a limiting condition, be it age, illness or any other state. Critically, the website notes that these individuals go unpaid and often unrecognized.
Caregivers in the Wild was launched by filmmaker and health researcher Dr. Mike Lang.
“It's a huge population. You know, there's lots of people out there who are doing this and and, you know, there's all sorts of unique demands placed on family caregivers, not only is it, you know, working full-time often, but it's caring for young kids, you know, it's just the demands of life. And then on top of that, right, is all these sort of caregiving demands,” Lang said.
“The main goal of the series was to provide family caregivers some information and inspiration to sort of support them in their caregiving journey.”
Getting the caregivers away from their everyday environments can get them looking a little more objectively at their situation and offers space and time for reflection, he added.
“You know, you're in the middle of it basically like you have to have all these responsibilities that you do. And so taking people out into the wilderness, you know, it sort of allows them to step back from that daily experience and sort of reflect in a new and unique way about their experience as caregivers.”
One episode of the series shot in the Tombstones, north of Dawson City, and another follows a hiking trip reached by float plane closer to Whitehorse. One caregiver featured is from Ontario and the other is from British Columbia.
One of the episodes, The Nature of Hope, focuses on a woman navigating her husband’s declining cognition following a stroke.
Over the course of an alpine hike, discussions of focusing on little hopes even as the big hopes seem out of reach unfold.
“That's the main idea of that episode, in the way that we talk about it, is we, we see a beautiful, you know, caribou out there, and we see these beautiful little flowers and and all these animals thriving in the midst of a really harsh environment, and that is sort of a hopeful thing,” Lang said.
The Nature of Mindfulness, the episode shot in Tombstone Territorial Park, follows Lang and a young man who has been caring for parents with mental health challenges for years. It focuses on remaining mindful amid difficulty and hardship.
“It was a really profound sort of moment for him to sort of recognize that he can, you know, through mindfulness, sort of become more firm and solid in his caregiving role for his parents,” Lang said.
Lang added that a goal of his is to expand The Nature of Mindfulness into a short film topping 20 minutes
“It was such an amazing trip, and we learned so much, and seven minutes did not seem like enough to explore this topic, so that's why we're going to re-edit it into a longer film.”
Both of the episodes shot in the Yukon prominently feature guided meditations led by Dr. Linda Carlson.
Spreading important discussions on the topic of caregiving around by video is important, Lang said, as the health system would “literally collapse” without unpaid caregivers. He says those without access to big wilderness trips can still apply what’s discussed in the videos and still appreciate time outdoors, even if that means a 15-minute walk out the front door.
Yukon resident Angie Hall was looking after her grandfather, Len Hall, when she came upon Caregivers in the Wild and other content on Stories for Caregivers. She said it was valuable for her as she saw her grandfather through much of his 90s.
Hall says the Yukon has lots of good services in place for the elderly but less so for those who care for them.
“Trying to find a like a support group was difficult at times. Like when you have a baby in the Yukon, or when you're pregnant, they literally give you, like, a pamphlet. But no one gives you a pamphlet for like, what to prepare for yourself and what sort of changes in your own life there will be when you're caregiving,” she said.
Hall found Lang’s series a good reminder to take time out for herself, even if it meant scheduling respite weeks in advance.
“It was really just impactful to remember to get out spend some time on your own, and again, what better place to be than here to do that and to go out and enjoy the wilderness.”
Hall said that if she had been in an episode of Caregivers in the Wild, showing off her time away from the responsibilities of care, it would feature hikes along the Annie Lake Road, paddle boarding and time at the cabin.
Sharing stories of these adventures was a way to connect with her grandfather as she looked after him. She noted that Len Hall was no stranger to the Yukon bush in his time, having been the last police officer posted to Fort Selkirk.
She said it is good to see Canadian-specific content showcasing caregivers voices and likes the themes articulated whether lighthearted or heavier. Along with Caregivers in the Wild, Hall said she liked the series hosted on the site by Canadian singer-songwriter and author Jann Arden.
Contact Jim Elliot at jim.elliot@yukon-news.com
