50+ Lifestyles

8th Annual Quad City Regional Family Caregiver Conference

By Peggy Dykes
Community Relations Director
Milestone’s Area Agency on Aging

Illinois and Iowa family caregivers who care for aging relatives and friends will have an opportunity to talk with exhibitors and learn from speakers at the 8th Annual Quad City Regional Family Caregiver Conference. The event takes place in a new venue on April 21st from 8 a.m. to noon at the Rogalski Center, 2100 North Ripley, on the campus of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. Convenient parking is available by entering from West Lombard Street. There is no charge to attend.

The audience will enjoy keynote speakers Jerry Schroeder, MSW, from the Alzheimer’s Association who will speak at 9 a.m. reflecting on what matters most from his experiences as a retiring social services professional. He is eager to contribute one last set of lessons; lessons he hopes will be valuable to his peers and the people they are privileged to serve. Melissa Sharer, PhD, from St. Ambrose University will speak at 10:30 a.m. She will focus on the universal lesson of care giving drawing from her work and personal experiences. Her presentation will reinforce the need to better understand and respond to “what matters to the person” as opposed to “what’s the matter with the person” who requires care.

Caregivers will learn about services and programs from local providers and organizations who serve both the Illinois and Iowa region. Volunteers from the Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) will be on hand to answer Medicare questions. Appointments can be made to discuss individual, complex issues. St. Ambrose Physical Therapy Department will demonstrate the safe practice of transferring a person from chair to chair, bed to chair and from a sitting to standing position. There is also light refreshments and door prizes.

The event is sponsored by Milestones Area Agency on Aging, Alternatives, Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging, Alzheimer’s Association and St. Ambrose University. For more information, call (563) 484-3147 or (855) 410-6222. Flyer available at www.milestonesaaa.org.

Peggy Dykes is Community Relations Director at Milestones Area Agency on Aging. She can be reached at (563) 484-3147, ext. 212 or at pdykes@milestones aaa.org.