7 Tips for Caregivers During the Holidays

GE Privacy

Introduction: protecting your privacy, enhancing your online experience

When it comes to data privacy, protecting your personal information is most important. We feel it’s also important to give you, your colleagues, and your family members a voice in the development of this web site and your overall experience with it. To do this, we need to collect certain types of information to help us evaluate how the HealthAhead web site is being used, so we can continually improve your experience and the content we offer to you. By tracking overall usage patterns, providing an easy channel for your feedback, and allowing you to tell us what content is most useful to you, we can refine our offerings and provide more of the content you personally find valuable.

Overall, we are committed to giving you the option to participate – or not participate – in a manner that’s right for you. Read more for how we do this.

Information we collect and how we use it

Identifiable Information Collecting

All methods of identifying yourself to GE will be optional and opt-in, may be updated by you at any time, and will not be required for all areas of the web site.

We will not collect any identifiable user information from the areas of the HealthAhead web site which do not require SSO (Single Sign On), unique User ID (Identification), and/or Password.

There are areas of the web site that require you to identify yourself to us (authenticate). This allows you to access certain parts of the web site that may otherwise be restricted for privacy and security purposes.

There are also areas that may provide the option to create a personalized profile. The information you provide is optional and what you tell us will determine the level of personalization you will experience.

Access to identifiable information is restricted to internal, administrative personnel and solely for purposes of providing web site support, awarding prizes and other recognition, and customizing the web site content and overall functionality for the user. However, we will also allow you to change your mind and opt-out of sharing personal information with us at any time.

Non-Identifiable Information Collecting

When you visit the HealthAhead web site, we track, collect and report on certain aggregate and non- identifiable information. In other words, the information we collect does not relate to a single identifiable visitor. It tells us things such as how many users visited our web site and what pages they viewed.

This non-identifiable data will be collected and stored in a secure database in the U.S., and may be viewed by GE. We will analyze this information to refine our web site to better reflect user preferences, such as the type of content users are searching for most, and to improve the usability of the web site and the user’s web site experience. The information may also be used for purposes of promoting the web site. The data will not be used for medical analysis or other medical purposes.

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Like many web sites, the HealthAhead web site uses browser cookies – bits of text placed on your computer’s hard drive when you visit. We use them to tell us things like whether you’ve visited us before, and to help us identify features in which you may have the greatest interest. We also use cookies to track country and language selection.

In the future, we may use cookies to track additional details, such as city and state.

We keep this information unless you don’t wish GE to capture this and choose to delete your cookie history. If you wish to stop accepting new browser cookies, get notification when you receive a new cookie, or disable existing cookies, the “help” portion of the toolbar on most browsers will tell you how. Keep in mind, without browser cookies, you may not be able to take full advantage of all our web site features or have your preferences saved for future visits.

We also use Flash cookies on the web site to enhance your online experience. These are similar to browser cookies, but they store data more complex than simple text. Flash cookies, by themselves, cannot do anything to or with the data on your computer. In addition, Flash cookies cannot access or remember your email address or other personal information unless you provide the information on this web site.

Web Beacons

Certain pages on our web site contain “web beacons” (also known as Internet tags, pixel tags and clear GIFs). These web beacons obtain information such as the time the page was viewed, the type of browser used to view the page, and the information in cookies. Web beacon data does not include IP address. The web beacon data is stored at Google Analytics, a third party (see ‘Tracking and Reporting’ for more information on this technology).

Tracking and Reporting

Specifically we will track, collect and report on the following data using software from Google Analytics. For more information about Google Analytics, including information about how to opt out of these technologies, go to www.google-analytics.com

Our primary metrics include: Poll response rate, repeat visits, number of times content is shared, and visits by country.

The sub-metrics include:

Most Popular Content Types, Most Popular Content Topics, User Pathing, Exit Links, Bounce Rate, Traffic by Source (region), Time on Web site, Visit Time of Day, Unique Views/Page Views, Thumps Up/Down, Most Shared Content, Number of Times Content is Rated, Most Rated Content by Type, Language Selection.

We will also be tracking how much communicators, web site leaders and other HealthAhead operations teams are leveraging the web site to support and align their business, regional and web site specific efforts. Some of these metrics may be tracked using existing support central tools.

These metrics may include:

Number of Content Submissions by Region, Number of non-corporate Driven Promotions by RCs, Number of Promotional Downloads by Region, Support Central Survey

Feedback Form

Your feedback is important to the web site’s ongoing development, so we’d love to hear your opinions and ideas. To contact us, please use this Feedback form. We will not be able to respond directly, but all feedback will be reviewed, evaluated, and factored into future content decisions. Please note: this form is monitored by IT support staff only. Please do not submit any personal or medical information. And thank you in advance!

Poll and Quiz Responses

On the web site, we will conduct polls and quizzes to better understand user activities, attitudes, interests and knowledge across multiple health topics. These polls may also help us serve you better by asking questions that relate to the usefulness of our web site. We will not capture any personally identifiable information through the collection of poll response data. As part of these polls and quizzes, we will capture responses sorted by country. In the future, we may capture responses sorted by additional anonymous demographics such as language, affiliated GE business, work web site location, gender, etc.

Sharing Content with Family and Friends

We want you to share the web site’s content with important people in your life, so most articles, videos and slideshows can be emailed. To do so, we will ask you to provide your name and the recipient’s email address. We simply use this information to send the content as you request. At this time, we do not capture or store your, or the recipient’s, email address. Please see below to learn how we track and report on email sharing activity.

Please also review GE’s Social Media Guidelines

How we protect information

GE maintains administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect against unauthorized disclosure, use, alteration or destruction of any information you provide on this web site. We use secure socket layer (SSL) technology to help keep the information you provide on this web site secure. See ‘Information We Share’ and ‘Information We Transfer’ for additional details.

Information we share

We do not sell or otherwise disclose personal information about our visitors, except as described here. We may share information provided by visitors with service providers we have retained to perform services on our behalf. These service providers are contractually restricted from using or disclosing the information, except as necessary to perform services on our behalf or comply with legal requirements. In addition, we may disclose information about you if we are required to do so by law or legal process; to law enforcement authorities or other government officials; or when we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to prevent physical harm or financial loss or in connection with an investigation of suspected or actual illegal activity.

Information we transfer

We may transfer the information we collect on this web site to other countries where we do business, but only for the purposes described above. When we transfer your information to other countries, we will protect that information as described here unless otherwise required by applicable laws.

Links to other web sites

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Children’s privacy

This web site is not directed to children under the age of thirteen and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of thirteen on the web site. If we become aware that we have inadvertently received personal information from a visitor under the age of thirteen, we will delete the information from our records.

Some links on this web site may take web site visitors to web sites that are directed to children. These web sites have their own privacy notices that address children’s privacy. We encourage you to read these privacy notices if you visit any linked web sites directed to children.

Updates to our privacy & data policy

This Privacy & Data Policy may be updated periodically and without prior notice to you to reflect changes in our online information practices. We will post a notice on this web site to notify you of any significant changes to our Privacy & Data Policy, and indicate at the top of this policy when it was most recently updated.

How to contact us

If you have any questions or comments about this Privacy & Data Policy, or if you would like us to update information we have about you or your preferences, please contact us by visiting our Feedback Form.

7 Tips for Caregivers During the Holidays

Being a caregiver can be challenging year-round. Add in the hustle and bustle of the holidays and you have even more pressure. Keeping up with get-togethers, maintaining family traditions, and sending out all those holiday gifts and cards can easily overwhelm anyone—and it may prove even more difficult when you have caregiving responsibilities, too.

But the holidays needn’t be a time of stress. Consider if these seven caregiving strategies might help you enjoy a jollier holiday season.

Know your limits
Friends and family may not realize you’re stressed if you don’t tell them. The Family Caregiver Alliance, a nonprofit that provides a public voice for caregivers, suggests you let people know that your caregiving obligations will limit your hosting and holiday prep time. That means it’s important to:

Pass along the torch. Let someone else host the meal where everything is made from scratch. It’s fine to ask others to host events that take extra time and prep.
Get outside help for an event. If you don’t want to give up hosting your beloved New Year’s Day brunch, think about catering it or holding it at an affordable restaurant. Remember that perfection isn’t the goal of the holiday season—it’s joy with loved ones.
Selectively RSVP. The Ben Rose Institute on Aging, an organization which addresses aging issues, reminds us that it isn’t selfish to decline an invite. Before you commit to an event, think about if it’s doable. Attend events that will have the most meaning to you and your loved ones. Otherwise you and the person you’re caring for will be so exhausted that you won’t be able to enjoy anything. If you don’t go to an event, consider asking guests to send you video clips to watch later. You might also be able to use services like Skype or FaceTime to join the event remotely.

Request a break
Consider taking some time off during the holidays. If possible, ask a family member to take over your caregiving duties. Since the holiday season is busy, ask for the time off as far in advance as possible so they’re more likely to be free. If family help is unavailable, consider hiring a homecare worker or taking advantage of an adult daycare center or respite program. Hiring help in other areas of your life may also give you a break, such as getting a cleaning crew to tidy up the house. There are also programs and food delivery services that can be contacted for holiday meals.

Remember what caregiving is all about
When you’re feeling drained, it may be hard to see the positive elements that being a caregiver brings to your life. You may have grown as a person, learning new challenges and skills. You may have discovered a newfound compassion and strength that you didn’t know you possessed. Some of your caregiving duties may feel exhausting—but look for those moments where you can connect with the loved one you are caring for. Those moments of love and connection may help sustain you.

Try not to be hard on yourself
Think about all you’re doing to make the holidays special and memorable for your loved ones. AARP notes that negative thoughts may activate your body’s stress response. So when you feel yourself dwelling on the downside of the holidays, try to redirect your mind. Focus on a potential solution to a problem, a personal goal, or a future reward you have planned.

Simplify
Even if you loved going “all out” in the past, you might feel happier enjoying a simpler holiday this year. For example, put presents in gift bags instead of spending hours wrapping them. And decorate with garlands instead of hauling out boxes of ornaments for your attic. Remind yourself that setting limits and scaling back could make your holiday more joyful overall.

Make time for yourself
Sometimes caregivers need some time alone to recharge their batteries. You can use that time to:

Catch up with family and friends. Manage your stress by meeting a friend for coffee or walking through the neighborhood with your favorite cousin. Try to get out of the house for a change of scenery.
Take care of your health. That means that you should see your healthcare provider for an annual physical to stay on top of any medical conditions and your overall wellbeing. Take time to exercise—even gentle activities like walking or dancing make a difference. Aim to get plenty of sleep since caregiving takes a lot of you. Try relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga to reduce stress.

Enjoy the present
It’s normal to be upset or disappointed about how your loved one’s condition has changed the holiday season. But try not to dwell on it. CancerCare, a national organization that helps manage the challenges of cancer, suggests that you relish special moments and focus on the positive, new traditions that your family has created.

HealthAhead Hint: Remember What Matters
The holidays can be source of joy—but they can also cause frustration and stress, especially if you are already overwhelmed with caregiving responsibilities. Remember that life goes through shifts and phases. Some years, you may have more free time to create grand and intricate holiday celebrations. Other years, especially when you are providing care to a loved one, you may enjoy a happier season by simplifying your holiday traditions.