Who We Are
MISSION
To provide caregivers with current research and tools that promote compassionate self-care practices and knowledge of the cultural aspects of marginalized communities.
VISION
Creating resilient caregivers prepared to provide compassionate and inclusive care.
“EDUCARE is a human organization; a colorful display of the world’s alphabet comprised of people from all cultures, races and creeds .
We provide caregivers with resilience tools to support self-healing and educational training to help them create a more culturally compassionate environment for those they serve.
When caregivers are taught through integrative and somatic methods of instruction (incorporating exposure to information, research, and personal stories of marginalized communities) they will become more tolerant and inclusive of all cultures.”
EDUCARE was founded to address the compassionate care needs of both patients and caregivers to improve the quality of life for those in marginalized communities. Compassion increases when caregivers practice self-care; we equip caregivers with the tools to self-heal.
We conduct training programs, interactive symposiums, lectures, and support groups for professionals, organizations and individuals providing care for others. We can come to your location, or you can come to EDUCARE for a supportive training experience.
Through our Bridge Building Network, we reach out to professional/personal caregivers working with groups who have traditionally been marginalized or neglected. We offer professional CEU training programs and volunteer opportunities for teams and individuals. This includes:
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Professional Caregivers who live with Compassion Fatigue
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Older adults residing in long-term care facilities
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Older LGBT adults
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Veterans
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Holocaust survivors
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Animal advocates/Animal professionals
EDUCARE strives to provide hope to individuals and groups who are seeking to manage the often conflicting demands of their personal, family and professional life/lives.
We teach compassion for all and address the unique needs of those in marginalized communities. Through greater self-care and cultural awareness, EDUCARE hopes to improve the lives of caregivers and those for whom they care.
ROOTS
Sharyn Fein assumed the role of her mother's sole care provider in her early college years. During this time she had an epiphany; she enjoyed working with older adults and they enjoyed her. Sharyn majored in Marketing, positioning herself to develop a business with the goal of caring for the aging population. After graduation (degree in hand) she was armed with clarity and purpose to begin her professional journey.
Sharyn started working as a case manager for the New York Foundation for Senior Citizens. She managed a myriad of living situations for over two hundred low-income seniors residing in the HUD housing projects of lower Manhattan and then relocated to Westchester County and continued serving older adults as a caseworker for a non- medical home care agency. Being bilingual, she was better able to communicate, enabling her to understand the life experiences of these seniors from varied cultures. Set on her path, Sharyn’s vision included creating an organization that would focus on nurturing professional and personal caregivers.
After relocating to Dallas in 1987, Sharyn worked with several organizations that cared for seniors, gaining additional knowledge and experience. As she predicted, she found that Dallas was not be able to meet the needs of the elderly population through the 21st century. In April 2014 Sharyn realized her dream, founding EDUCARE.
EDUCARE services caregivers all over the city with multiple programs, such as the Compassion Fatigue Symposium, Hearts and Hands, and Bridge Building Network. Through education and compassion, caregivers are learning how to better care for themselves, as well as others.
Sharyn Fein serves as Chair of the Senior Affairs Commission for the City of Dallas 2017-2019, Vice President of the Adult Protective Services Community Board of Dallas, planning committee of Stop Senior Hunger, planning committee for World Elder Abuse Day, volunteers for Faith Presbyterian Hospice and supports families and older adults in need of senior support services in the Metroplex. She is a past board member of The Dallas Jewish Historical Society.
