By Heather Lusk
Being a caregiver herself, attorney Carol Applegate understands the challenges faced by those who are also handling the needs of a loved one.
Her experiences motivated her to initiate “Caring for the Caregiver,” a daylong conference of panel discussions, conversations and resources relevant to caregivers and those for whom they give care.
“Caregivers need support, they need resources, they need someplace to go for a day to show them I’m not alone in all this,” said Applegate, whose law firm Applegate Elder Law has sponsored the conference for three years.
“I’ve experienced it myself, so I know that it becomes very frustrating at times,” she said. “There are a lot of emotional elements that are involved in caregiving.”
The keynote speaker during the luncheon is Peter Rosenberger, who hosts a radio show, Caregivers With Hope, and has cared for his wife for 30 years.
“It’s a different perspective, but it’s all sort of the same theme, the same emotional roller coaster,” she said, whether the care is being given to a parent, spouse or child.
A morning panel discussion will cover issues for those facing Alzheimer’s, dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment with additional roundtables on a variety of topics in the afternoon. Applegate hopes to continue smaller discussions with caregivers post-conference on subjects that generated a lot of interest.
“There are a lot of issues out there that are very complicated,” Applegate said. “Caregivers are overwhelmed. All of us are touched in some way or another by caring for a loved one,” she said. “It’s a topic that everyone should be interested in.”
Caring for Caregivers
When: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 28
Where: 502 East Event Centre, 502 E Carmel Drive, Carmel
Cost: $45
More: Register at thevoiceofaging.org or by calling 317-522-1325.