Local agencies partner to form Caregiver Academy

Feb. 04--Davidson County Senior Services, Hospice of Davidson County, The Life Center of Davidson County and Wake Forest Baptist Health -- Lexington Medical Center are launching an 11 month-long Caregiver Academy to provide education and support to Davidson County caregivers.

Beginning Feb. 19 and running through Dec. 17, Lexington Medical Center's Live Well Center will host 11 free sessions from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Community experts will coach participants on a variety of topics geared to address the most common issues that caregivers face.

"As the lead agency for the Family Caregiver Support Program of Davidson County, The Life Center held a focus group in September 2018 to hear the needs of caregivers," said Beth Rummage, executive director for The Life Center. "Needs identified by caregivers of Davidson County included education, information and assistance. Experts in attendance collaborated to replicate the successful Caregiver Academy in Davie County. Our goal of this Caregiver Academy is to reduce caregiver stress by providing education, information and a larger social system of support."

Bill James, president of Lexington Medical Center, said the hospital's mission is to provide exceptional care for patients and the community.

"The Caregiver Academy complements this passion by providing support, knowledge and resources for our patients and families as they address the challenges of our aging population," James said.

Registration is encouraged prior to each session and can be completed by going online to Lexington.WakeHealth.edu/BestHealth, emailing bhealth@wakehealth.edu or by calling (336) 713-BEST (2378).

The session topics are:

--Feb. 19: Community resources A to Z -- in-home options and support to stay independent.

--March 19: The sandwich generation -- multi-tasking across generations: taking care of grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren.

--April 16: Advance care planning -- health-care power of attorney, living will, Do Not Resuscitate (DNR), Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment (MOST), Five Wishes and other gifts of planning ahead.

--May 21: NineWise -- Your personality as a caregiver: how your natural personality influences your caregiving behaviors using Enneagram tools for empowerment.

--June 18: Staying Safe -- age-proofing the home: preventing falls, accidents and unsafe situations.

--July 16: How to be your own health-care advocate -- techniques for communication with health-care providers as a caregiver.

--Aug. 20: Medicare, Medicaid and caregiving -- navigating the mazes of insurance and benefits.

--Sept. 17: Caregiving with unusual behaviors -- finding the "new normal" with newly emerging behaviors, difficult personalities and aggression.

--Oct. 15: The holidays are here -- techniques for managing caregiving in the face of family opinions and questions.

--Nov. 19: Hospice and palliative care -- bursting myths and discovering benefits at the end of life.

--Dec. 17: Elder Law -- wills, estates and bequeathment.

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