Published: May 27, 2009 12:07 pm      

Fairfield Glade Resident Services offers “Caring in the Cumberlands”— A Caregiver Workshop and Home Health Care Expo on June 18

This important free health care event will be held at the Fairfield Glade Community & Conference Center from 8 a.m. to noon on Thursday, June 18. Fairfield Glade Resident Services, the Alzheimer’s Association, and Upper Cumberland Development District-Area Agency on Aging & Disability have teamed-up to develop a valuable program of information and demonstration.

Three families in “Caring Relationships” will be helping to provide resource for this 2009 Caregiver Workshop. All of these individuals including those needing care and those giving care are my heroes. They are also personal friends. Katy Smith, her mom and dad, Jack and Virginia, service dog Dylan, and personal trainer Ron are an inspiration. Katy is a successful artist, poster girl for the National Stroke Association, an internet aficionado and wit with a great website, and much more. Katy has her own apartment facility and independence as she continues to recover from a near fatal stroke at age 15. Plan to meet Katy at the National Stroke Association table where you can obtain FAST brochures including current information about stroke prevention and care.

Gene and Arvilla Frankenberg were two of our most active friends before Arvilla survived both cancer and a stroke. Their Ridgewood Neighborhood Watch “Care” Ring was responsible for setting up a monthly calendar of neighborhood ladies and friends to work with Arvilla as helpers/instructors in speech therapy. My wife would show up with something chocolate and sing favorite songs with Arvilla. Probably not prescribed stroke-rehab by the doctor, but Arvilla loved it. I should emphasize that respite and support are needed for both the person needing care and the caregiver. Jim Cornwell, CMC Social Worker has a stroke support group at the Fairfield Glade Wellness Complex, call Jim at 707-8420 to join or obtain more information.

Bev and Jerry Pitts were as witty and active as any couple of retirees in Fairfield Glade, with a wide circle of friends. During a procedure to implant a defibulator/pacemaker Jerry went Code Blue and was without oxygen off and on for 40 minutes. Like Gene Frankenberg, Bev has been a primary caregiver who requires support in her loving care for Jerry. Yet Bev is the lady who reached out to support her community when she identified a scam artist who made the mistake of scamming her and her neighbor. She organized an e-mail campaign to alert residents that eventually developed into two Town Hall expositions on various forms of fraud and scams. Bev adds, “We will be married 50 years this November and he is my lifetime partner, in sickness and in health.”

This workshop will feature providers of home health care services. There will also be an adult day-care set up adjacent to the workshop where your family member care recipient can be provided for. If you plan to bring your family member to day care, please call Joan Fredericks at (931) 267-3298. Nationally, 1 in 4 households is providing care for a loved one at home. When needing adequate care, 9 in 10 people want to remain in their home. As our population’s median age climbs, finding adequate care is the #1 unmet need in our country. If you or a loved one has a need to obtain adequate care or help in providing care, you need to attend this event. If you or a loved one has a medical history in any manner similar to mine, my father suffered two strokes and my mother succumbed to Alzheimer disease after 11 years, you will not want to miss this event.