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In anticipation of a training seminar to be held Wednesday, Feb. 19, 3-5 p.m. at Point of Connection, a gait belt (also known as a transfer belt) was shown at the recent Wallowa County Caregivers support group meeting.

At the upcoming Seminar, hands-on training will be provided to teach area caregivers the belts proper use and benefits. The public is invited to attend this free event, which is funded by the Soroptomists.

The gait belt is useful in helping a patient stay balanced in walking, and in transferring a patient from bed to chair or from wheelchair to car seat.

Caregivers often find themselves in circumstances where, in order to lift a patient, they pull on the patients arm or leg, which can be harmful to both people. Many insurance claims by caregivers for back injuries are now denied if a gait belt was not in use.

Quite often at the support group, the emotional side of caregiving is shared. The caregiver often struggles with anticipatory grief as she watches her parents mobility and mental state decline. Yet she buries these thoughts in order to meet the demands of caregiving. Withholding these feelings can interfere with the quality of care she wishes to provide, as well as compromise her health.

The WCC support group is a safe and confidential place to talk about the emotional side of caregiving. It meets the first and third Wednesday of each month at 3 p.m. at Wallowa Memorial Hospital.