CAPCOG Striking a Balance conference helps caregivers

Only 46 seats remain for a non-professional caregiver conference being held from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26 in Austion.

It is sponsored by the Capital Area Planning Council of Governments (CAPCOG) Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area and AGE of Central Texas and it brings together family caregivers from around the region to learn how to better care for themselves and loved ones during the Striking a Balance Conference. The 16th annual conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26 at DoubleTree by Hilton Austin; with an anticipated attendance of 200 caregivers, the attendees will be their own greatest resources.

“The real strength of this event is the opportunity to communicate with other caregivers, and every year I see a table of caregivers that doesn’t want to leave because they are sharing their experiences,” said Patty Bordie, AAACAP director. “Sharing the caregiving experience validates feelings, emotions, thoughts, and lets people know they are not alone.”

Register for Striking a Balance 2017 at http://bit.ly/2uGOzjZ or contact Michelle Davis at 512-916-6182 if you have questions or need help registering. Learn more about the AGE of Central Texas Austin Adult Day Health Center that will offer free off-site respite by reservation. Call 512-600-9275 to reserve a space.

Jane Meier Hamilton, CEO and founder of Partners on the Path, will give the 2017 Striking a Balance keynote speech.

Peer support is often more believable than what one learns from books or classes. Situations peers face may be similar so sharing experiences can lead to solving problems. Knowing the experience of caregiving is one of the many reasons Jane Meier Hamilton, CEO and founder of Partners on the Path, was selected to deliver the conference’s keynote address, “Why am I So Stressed?” and lead two breakout sessions. Hamilton, a 40-year nurse and 20-year family caregiver, runs Partners on the Path which helps professional and family caregivers preserve their health, well-being and capacity to care through research-based resources offered online, in-print and in-person. “There is no boundary in being a caregiver when it is your husband, your parents or your child, unlike when you are a nurse and can go home at the end of the day,” Hamilton said. “When it is your loved one, it is in your heart and in your mind all the time. The talks I do come out of my own struggle to stay healthy and stay resilient.”

Hamilton’s breakout sessions will discuss practical steps to self-care and establishing resiliency in oneself as a caregiver. Other breakout session topics include: addressing difficult behaviors associated with dementia, discussing driving with older family members, and financing long-term care. The conference includes opportunities to connect with community based organizations and service providers with expertise in caregiver support, education, training, in-home and long-term care services.