Families and caregivers dealing with dementia or serious illness will have access to a full day of free education, resources and support during a special event coming to Searcy.
LifeTouch Health and Alzheimer’s Arkansas will present “Support Starts Here” Friday, October 2, from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the White County Cooperative Extension Office, 2400 Landing Road in Searcy. Registration and lunch are free, but seating is limited and advance registration is required.
The event is designed to help families better understand dementia care, serious illness, future planning and the emotional challenges that can come with caregiving.
Melissa Gray with LifeTouch Health shared on Open Mic with Bob Connell says families often face difficult questions and uncertainty when caring for someone with dementia.
Gray says the goal is for attendees to leave better informed, more connected and knowing they do not have to face caregiving alone.
More than 60,000 Arkansans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, which is just one form of dementia, according to information discussed during an Open Mic interview with Gray. She says the growing number of older Americans means more families are trying to balance caregiving with jobs, children and other responsibilities.
HEAR THE FULL OPEN MIC PROGRAM WITH BOB CONNELL
SEARCY MAYOR TO WELCOME ATTENDEES
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., with Searcy Mayor Mat Faulkner scheduled to welcome attendees at 9 a.m.
Morning sessions will include behavioral health information from Unity Behavioral Health, advance directives presented by LifeTouch Health and elder law planning.
Afternoon programming will include “When Love and Loss Coexist: Understanding Caregiver Grief” along with “The Dementia Experience” presented by Alzheimer’s Arkansas.
The schedule will also include an exercise session, questions and answers and door prizes.
SUPPORT FOR CAREGIVERS
Gray says caregivers sometimes feel forgotten while attention is focused on the person living with dementia.
LifeTouch Health and Alzheimer’s Arkansas are partnering to provide both healthcare information and practical community resources to families.
LifeTouch Health brings experience in serious illness care, family support and specialized dementia care, while Alzheimer’s Arkansas provides caregiver education, support groups, respite resources and help navigating the daily challenges of caregiving.
GUIDE PROGRAM OFFERS DEMENTIA SUPPORT
LifeTouch Health will also provide information about the GUIDE program, which stands for Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience.
GUIDE is a Medicare program designed to support eligible people living with dementia and their caregivers.
Services can include personalized care planning, care coordination, caregiver education, connections to community resources and, for qualifying families, respite services.
FREE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Support Starts Here will be held Friday, October 2, from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the White County Cooperative Extension Office, 2400 Landing Road in Searcy.
Lunch and registration are free, but seating is limited and advance registration is required.
To register, visit LifeTouchHealth.org/events or call Alzheimer’s Arkansas at 501-224-0021.
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