Caring for the Caregiver

Caring for the Caregiver

Inspired to provide caregivers with a creative outlet for the stresses of their profession while cultivating greater communication and understanding, Suzanne Costello and Stuart Pimsler developed their program, Caring for the Caregiver. Since its inception, SPDT has presented these programs throughout the United States, Canada, Israel, Russia, Taiwan, Bermuda, and Mexico. The participants from across the globe represent a broad cross-section of the healthcare community including physicians, nurses, medical students, hospice staff, social workers, therapists, counselors, and home healthcare providers.

By exploring the power of touch and movement to help people communicate and connect with others, these workshops seek to foster stronger relationships and understanding among teams of staff members as well as between caregivers and their patients. Through the integration of movement and voice, memories and stories, participants explore ways to express feelings associated with their profession. Caregivers are encouraged to share their personal stories and reflections on how they provide support in their daily work. Together they explore a series of improvisational movement and writing exercises at their own level of skill and comfort. No prior movement experience is required.

“A renewing and healing experience.”

                                                           Ashokakumar Patel, MD, Pulmonologist, Mayo Clinic


Partial List of Caring for the Caregiver℠ Sites

MAYO CLINIC – Rochester, MN
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA MEDICAL SCHOOL – Gainesville, FL
TORRANCE MEDICAL CENTER – Torrance, CA
KETTERING MEDICAL CENTER – Kettering, OH
LESLEY COLLEGE – Boston, MA
NITZAN HEALTH CENTER – Herzliya, Israel
NORTH MEMORIAL HOSPITAL STROKE CENTER – Minneapolis, MN
HOSPICE OF DAYTON – Dayton, OH
SHANDS HOSPITAL – Gainesville, FL
THE DONWOOD INSTITUTE – Toronto, Canada
ARTHUR G. JAMES CANCER CENTER – Columbus, OH
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA MEDICAL CENTER – Tucson, AZ
SYLVESTER COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER – Miami, FL
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH MEDICAL CENTER – Pittsburgh, PA
RIVERSIDE HOSPITAL – Columbus, OH
NATIONAL CONGRESS OF ONCOLOGY NURSING SOCIETY – Cincinnati, OH
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE – East Lansing, MI
HENNEPIN COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER – Minneapolis, MN
HOSPICE AT GRANT and RIVERSIDE MEDICAL CENTER – Columbus, OH
TUCSON MEDICAL CENTER AND HOSPICE – Tucson, AZ
ALLEGHENY UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER – Pittsburgh, PA
FORBES HOSPICE – Pittsburgh, PA
HOSPITAL INFANTIL DE MEXICO FEDERICO GOMEZ – Mexico City, Mexico
GENERAL XOCO HOSPITAL – Mexico City, Mexico
NORTH FLORIDA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER – Gainesville, FL
FRAZIER REHABILITATION INSTITUTE – Louisville, KY
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY MEDICAL CENTER – Lexington, KY
GRAND ITASCA HOSPITAL – Grand Rapids, MN
SISKIN REHABILITATION INSTITUTE – Chattanooga, TN
OAK CROSSINGS NURSING HOME – Detroit Lakes, MN
ESSENTIA HEALTH – Detroit Lakes, MN
ST. LUKE’S HOSPITAL – Duluth, MN