Families will Learn Holiday Preparation Is Nothing to Fear at Oct 31st Fearless Caregiver Conference

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Sept. 25, 2013 - PRLog -- Today’s Caregiver magazine,http://www.caregiver.com, since 1995, the nation’s leading support, training and educational organization for family and professional caregivers announces the annual Birmingham Fearless Caregiver conference on October 31st at Rosewood Hall at Homewood City Hall. Tickets for this daylong seminar and lunch are sponsored by the Area Agency on Aging and are available at http://www.caregiver.com or by calling 877-829-2734.

"We are excited about hosting our 128^th Fearless Caregiver Conference in Birmingham. We have a lot of friends and readers in the area and look forward to supporting central Alabama caregivers. Halloween is actually a great time to be solidifying your plans for the holiday season with as much calm and preparation as possible," said Gary Barg, Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Today’s Caregiver magazine and FearlessCaregiver.com, author of the books, The Fearless Caregiver and the Caregiving Ties that bind and host of the Fearless Caregiver Conferences.

Complimentary copies of Today’s Caregiver magazine to be presented to all attendees.

With the holidays, there is much confusion with the hustle and bustle of preparing for extra company, fixing special meals and playing the host while trying to enjoy the whole experience as well. For a caregiver, this time can add a whole new set of strains to an already stressful situation.

Tips for making the holidays enjoyable and less stressful for all:

1.) Try to include your loved one in some holiday preparations. Give him or her something to do that is within their abilities and that will make them feel useful. Occupying their time will help you get other things done as well.

2.) Maintain a sense of familiarity. Go easy on the decorations, and don’t move too much furniture to accommodate trees or other objects. Changing familiar surroundings can lead to confusion, especially for someone with memory problems, physical impairment, or other handicap. Extra cords, fragile decorations, and piles of gifts can be hazards to those with limited mobility.

3.) With all of the holiday hubbub, your loved one could become confused and agitated. Try to limit the number of guests in your home at one time, and make sure that someone is always aware of the whereabouts of your loved one. If he or she tends to wander, there is a chance that this may happen when everyone thinks someone else is on watch.

4.) Ask for help! Don’t try to take on all of the burdens of caring for your loved one and preparing for the holidays. Something as simple as asking a neighbor or other relative to stay with your loved one for a few hours while you get some shopping done can make all the difference between a calm and a stressed-out holiday.

5.) Most importantly, take time for yourself. Spend an hour in a bubble bath, read a book, play in the snow. Do something that you enjoy, and have fun. The holidays are about fun and enjoyment, so make sure that you have some of both.

Caregiving is a daunting challenge, Barg says. Caregivers may have unusually high expectations during holidays and special occasions. Knowing that this might be a last birthday, anniversary, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc., caregivers may feel enormous pressure to make this time especially significant. But keeping your level of expectations realistic will make the day go smoother for you, your loved one, extended family and friends.

Family caregivers should register at http://www.FearlessCaregiver.com or call (877) 829-2734 while the limited free scholarships are still available. Registration includes lunch and a full day of education and training for the family and professional caregivers lunch. Rosewood Hall at Homewood City Hall, 2850 19th Street South, Homewood, AL 35209.

Supporting the celebration are leading care organizations including The Middle Alabama Area Agency on Aging, Jefferson County Office of Senior Citizen Services, Watts and Herring, LLC, Security One Lending, Captioncall, among many others.

More than 50,000 family and professional caregivers in 24 states have learned how to be a Fearless Caregiver Advocate for their loved ones, clients and themselves.
What Support Is Available For Alabama Caregivers? The financial decisions made at the state level have enormous consequences to the nearly 600,000 caregivers living in Alabama. Join caregiving experts for the day to learn how these decisions will affect you and what support will be available as you care for your loved ones.

The latest stops on the Fearless Caregiver conference tour in Boca Raton, Stuart and New Haven were tremendous successes with hundreds of family and professional caregivers participating in full-day events where they received answers to their caregiving questions from physicians, spiritual leaders, and healthcare experts in topics such as Alzheimer’s, MS, cancer, autism, stoke, Social Security, Medicare, diabetes, incontinence and Parkinson’s throughout the day.

Fearless Caregiver Conference participants will learn:

•   What support is available for Alabama family caregivers

•   Where the money is for caregivers

•   How to partner with their family members

•   How to ask questions of healthcare leaders in the area

•   How to get a loved one to stop driving

•   Share information with their fellow caregivers

Who Should Attend?

•   Children of aging parents

•   Parents caring for children

•   Spousal caregivers

•   Long-distance caregivers

•   Grandparent caregivers

•   Pastoral caregivers

•   Volunteer caregivers

•   Professional caregivers

•   And anyone else seeking hands-on advice

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Call (800) 829-2734 for information and to reserve your space.