This free conference is open to the public, and all family members who serve as a caregiver for an aging loved one can participate. It will be hosted online via Zoom, so anyone from anywhere is welcome to register. This conference encourages family caregivers to be proactive, prevent or delay the need for costly institutional care, keep families together in their communities, and maximize independence. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from expert panelists on various caregiving topics over 4 weeks starting on Saturday, April 10. The experts will present ideas and resources that will help you legally protect your aging parents or spouse, motivate family members to help, adapt your living space or daily living tasks, and find more balance within a family, work, and caregiving. Sessions will range from 60 – 90 minutes with the opportunity to ask questions.

Register online at agesmart.org. For more information, contact AgeSmart Community Resources at (618) 222-2561 or TTY (800) 222-2570.When registering, you will be asked to enter your address twice; one time it will say billing address, but it WILL NOT ask for payment information. This conference is being presented at no cost to you. When you register, you are registering for all four sessions. All sessions will be recorded. During the sessions, everyone but the speaker will be on mute, but you will be able to ask questions through the Q&A button. All sessions will begin at 10:00 a.m.

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Legal and Financial Issues on Saturday, April 10 – Heidi Dodd from Harter, Larson and Dodd. Heidi received her B.S. from Southern Illinois University, M.A. from the University of Illinois, J.D. from the University of Tulsa, and is licensed to practice law in Illinois. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Illinois State Bar Association and St. Clair County Bar Association. Ms. Dodd received the 2018 Legacy Celebration Award and most recently was awarded best attorney with Small Business Monthly of St. Louis.

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Take Care to Care: Improving Safety & Function for Loved-ones & Caregivers in the Home, Saturday, April 17 – Cindy and Christina Hardin-Weiss from Adaptive Equipment & Caregiving Corner. Cindy graduated in 1992 with a Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Washington University in St Louis, MO. The majority of her career has been spent in Home Healthcare, with short stints in skilled rehabilitation and outpatient therapy clinical settings. Her passion is to help people maintain their independence, especially when it makes a difference in their ability to remain in their homes. Physical Therapy’s main focus is mobility.

Practical Strategies Family Caregivers Can Use In and Out of the Home on Saturday, April 24 – Amy Sobrino from Memory Care Home Solutions. Amy Sobrino is a licensed clinical social worker specializing in working with people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia care partners. After her experience caring for her grandmother living with Alzheimer’s disease, Amy earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Masters of Social Work degree and Gerontology specialization from Saint Louis University. Amy is currently employed at Memory Care Home Solutions, a non-profit organization that provides education and support to care partners supporting a person living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. In addition to her role at Memory Care Home Solutions, Amy and her family founded Effingham Area Alzheimer’s Awareness, a non-profit organization in central Illinois that provides rural dementia education and support.

Saturday, May 1 – Dementia Resources – Helping You Age Well, Your Way! – Experts from AgeSmart Community Resources, Hospice of Southern Illinois, and St. John’s Community Care. Taking care of a person living with Alzheimer’s or related dementia at home is specialized work. To do this work successfully, caregivers need options and resources. It’s a journey no one should take alone. We will share ideas and tips to help you and your loved one.

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