Caregiving

AARP is pleased to offer webinars this month that can help you with work, caregiving, technology, and more! These resources are part of our e-Programs on topics to help enrich our members' lives.

Dementia doesn't come with an instruction manual, but the Alzheimer's Association has a series of events during Making Sense of Alzheimer's Month that can help! On Tuesday, May 3, they will be holding an Education Conference in Park City with topics that include effective communications strategies, understanding and responding to dementia-related behaviors, and available community resources and services.

Hartford Change AGEnts is proud to present "Portrait of a Caregiver," a dramatic and moving play based on the real-life experiences and interviews of 22 Utah caregivers. "Portrait of a Caregiver" was created through a partnership of the University of Utah College of Nursing, the Utah Caregiver Support Program, and the Hartford Change AGEnts Initiative that aims to bring awareness to the needs of family caregivers who provide the majority of long-term care in Utah and are seldom prepared for this role.

It has been a whirlwind legislative session with a lot happening but as of last night it has come to a close. I want to thank you and all of the other great AARP advocates who stayed informed, got engaged, and made their voices heard to their legislators. I can’t stress enough that without your involvement, we could not do the work we do!

AARP Backs Bipartisan Credit for Caring Act

CAREGIVERS GAIN NEW RIGHTS FROM DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RULE

AARP Utah's Advocacy Director Danny Harris is hard at work at the Utah State Capitol, fighting for legislation that will help caregivers with their legal rights, nurse practitioners with their ability to prescribe medications, and small business employees with their ability to save for retirement at work. Here's his update after week two of the Utah legislative session:

With the new year coming, it's time for resolutions about what's ahead for 2016. One of the most important areas to examine is your financial health. Do you have debt you want to control? Are you stuck in a predatory loan? Are you part of the sandwich generation--i.e., taking care of your parents and your children at the same time? AARP Utah and the AAA Fair Credit Foundation want to help by providing resources and information that can put you back on track. Together we're holding a workshop, "Making 2016 Financial Resolutions a Reality" on January 12 that will cover financial challenges for older adults, reverse mortgages, and financial issues around being in the sandwich generation.

November marks National Family Caregivers Month, a time to recognize the more than 336,000 family caregivers in Utah who help older parents, spouses, and other loved ones live independently at home, where they want to be. The unpaid care they provide through managing medications, cooking meals, driving to appointments, performing complex medicals tasks and more is valued at $4.15 billion in Utah alone.

Utahns will have the opportunity to attend caregiving conferences in Orem and Ogden in November. On Saturday, November 7 from 10:00 am--2:30 pm the Mountainland Area Agency on Aging will hold its 10th Annual Caregiver Conference at the Orem Friendship Center. Admission is free and includes a light breakfast and lunch, as well as a keynote presentation on Understanding Alzheimer's and sessions on community resources, confessions of a hospice nurse, and finding joy in being a caregiver. Registration is free but seating is limited; to register all 801-229-3804 or e-mail carepartner@mountainland.org. Aspen Senior Care will provide complimentary respite care on site--contact Susan Johnson at 801-420-5167. For care in your home contact Geri Lehnardt at Mountainland Aging and Family Services at 801-229-3814. The Orem Friendship Center is at 93 North 400 East, Orem UT 84097.