So What's It to You? Caring for Loved Ones That Is!

Are you helping a loved one or friend? We want to hear from you. Here at the Senior Federation we have staff who are filling a caregiving role in some capacity or are impacted in some way by a caregiver/care receiver relationship. I have asked these individuals to post here so check out the comments to this post to see what Caregiving is personally to your favorite Senior Federation staff person. If you are not on staff at the Senior Federation we want to hear from you as well. Please add a comment letting us know your caregiving story.

I'll start. I am Janine Stiles, Health Programs Director here at the Federation. I am not a direct caregiver, but I am closely watching one of my aunts caregiving for my maternal grandmother. My Aunt Lori, like many caregivers first helped my grandmother when Medicare Part D went into effect and a decision needed to be made about my grandmother's coverage. At the time my grandmother was in what I consider to be the very early stages of dementia. But really with Part D that was neither here nor there as everyone needed help with Part D! Anyway, I think just gradually it became clear that my grandmother needed assistance with smaller things and then bigger things. Out of respect for my grandmothers privacy my aunt isn't that open about her care or the decisions they are helping her make and she is pretty tight lipped about the feuds she may or may not be having with anyone of my 9 aunts and uncles. I will solicit her to post here herself.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Our Caregiving Panel at the Spring Convention was very informative and all presenters provided valuable information for conference attendees. From L-R, Leanna Smith, Jackie Stewart, Charlie Fazio, Janine Stiles, Beth Wiggins, Lynn Zimmerman, and Pat Boyle. A special thank you goes out to our distinguished panel.

MSF Caregiver Panel, May 5th, 2007

Saturday, May 5th, 2007 at the Minnesota Senior Federation's annual metro convention we will be hosting a Caregiver panel titled Caregiving - Helping Those You Love. The convention will be held at the Earle Brown Heritage Center. Check http://www.mnseniors.org/ for specifics.

This Caregiving panel will bring you professional and personal perspectives on many different facets of caregiving and will cover the gamut of available resources to help you in your caregiving efforts. Whether you are just beginning to care for someone and don't quite know where to start or you've been caregiving for years and need some support, this panel's combined expertise is not to be missed.

The panel will be moderated by Janine Stiles, Health Programs Director for the Minnesota Senior Federation

Our panelists include:
Patricia Boyle, RN BSN, CCM
North Memorial Home Health and Hospice

Leanna K. Smith, B.S.
Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging

Charles Fazio, MD, MS
Medica

Jacquelyn C. Stewart, BA
Elder advocate and caregiver

Beth Wiggins, MSW
DARTS (Dakota Area Resources and Transporation for Seniors)

Lynn Zimmerman
Common Sense Services for Seniors

Check back for a recap of our panelists presentations, pictures and maybe even a bit of video!