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Community Corner

Aging Care Academy Introduces Key Elements to Avoid a Nursing Home

Aging Care Academy® is a new service designed especially to assist those caring for older and disabled family members. Geriatric health specialists and expert partners in elder law, finance and related fields provide knowledge, skills and support to enable caregiving with confidence. On Monday, October 14, 2013 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Aging Care Academy will present an introduction to its programs at Hoffman SummerWood Community, located at 160 Simsbury Road (Route 185) in West Hartford. Hosting the event will be Mary Jones, heard weekdays on WDRC-AM/The Talk of Connecticut radio, leading a panel discussion with aging care experts that will include Hebrew Health Care Director of Dementia Care Services Pamela Atwood, CEO Bonnie Gauthier, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker Jonas Steiner. The event is free and open to the public. Convenient parking is available and light refreshments will be served. Space is limited: Please register at www.agingcareacademy.org or call (860) 920-1810.

Topics to be discussed at the Introduction to Aging Care Academy event will include: 
· Medicare & Medicaid Basics· Common Memory Issues
· Myths about Alzheimer’s
· Options in Community Services
· Nursing Home vs. Assisted Living
· Coordinating Decisions Among Family Members

Pam Atwood commented on how Aging Care Academy was originated to fulfill a unique need of providing care for adult caregivers. “Each of us had help growing up from people who patiently taught and encouraged us to meet life’s challenges one step at a time. Now, as adults, the roles are reversed for many of us. We’re helping someone grow older as we grow older ourselves. Each step may seem more challenging, day by day. Caregivers may feel they’re losing patience, control and the ability to give family members the care they deserve. That’s why we designed Aging Care Academy to specifically give knowledge, support and confidence to caregivers,” Atwood explained.

About Aging Care Academy

Aging Care Academy® is a unique program designed to especially to assist family members caring for older and disabled adults. Hebrew Health Care’s geriatric health specialists and expert partners in elder law, finance and related fields provide knowledge, skills and support to enable caregiving with confidence.

Aging Care Academy services include:
· Workshops given in a college-style format of required courses and electives, with a teaching style that is informative yet informal. Each course is presented locally as a one- to two-hour workshop. Workshops can be taken individually and in any sequence, at a cost of $20 each. Flexible scheduling makes it comfortable, convenient and stress-free for attendees to participate in as many workshops as they wish. 
· www.AgingCareAcademy.org is a resource-filled website that provides family support as well as professional development for adult caregivers, including free dementia screeners, live chat with aging care experts, frequently asked questions, caregiver tips, brain games, and more. 
· Personal Care Consultations with a Dementia Care Specialist and a Certified Dementia Care Practitioner are available on an individual basis for older adults and their caregivers. 
· Public Speaking Engagements are offered with Hebrew Health Care’s Senior Leadership Team Members.

Aging Care Academy® is a program of Hebrew Health Care, Inc., a non-profit, non-sectarian health care organization based in West Hartford, CT. The program is guided by a dynamic and diverse volunteer Advisory Council, chaired by a family caregiver and including staff, board members, community partners, and family members. Many of the professionals on the council are also caregivers. Together, Hebrew Health Care’s staff and volunteers work to design programs to improve caregiver confidence. Aging Care Academy is generously supported by the Farmington Bank Community Foundation. For more information, visit www.agingcareacademy.org or call (860) 920-1810.

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