Wellness for Caregivers training workshop offered

“Long Term Care Issues” is the theme of the Wellness for Caregivers workshop to take place on March 17 at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall in Juneau. The target audience is unpaid tribal caregivers providing care of elders. A caregiver is the spouse, daughter, son, grandchild, friend or neighbor who is there to assist an elder with their needs. Participants will be provided information of where and how to access caregiver support services, self care from local and state agencies.

The free workshop will begin at 9 a.m. with a prayer followed by the opening welcome by Eagle and Raven clan members. The keynote speaker, Kay Branch of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in Anchorage, will speak on “Long Term Care Issues” followed by Holly Handler of the Alaska Legal Services. Handler, an attorney at law, will provide information on “Medicaid Eligibility and Benefits”

Pre-registration by March 4 is encouraged in order to receive workshop materials. Registration forms are now being accepted. Lunch will be provided. During lunch the Alaska Native Dance Group “Yaaw Tei Yi” will perform.

Participants will be invited to talk with and ask questions of experts in the field of elder care and will be available at resource tables located throughout the hall. Agencies include: Alaska Legal Services, AARP, The Bridge Adult Day Care, Cornerstone Home Health Care, Juneau SEARHC, SAIL, Southeast Senior Information Services, Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority, Sealaska Shareholder Services, Social Security Administration and Veteran’s Administration Benefits.

The afternoon will cover small group sessions with information tables on the services they provide and their application processes. Caregivers will have the opportunity to meet privately with local and state agencies. A physical activity and sharing circle will also be offered in the afternoon.

In closing, names of caregivers will be drawn from evaluation forms for prizes of caregiver baskets. Andrea Ebona-Michel will end the workshop with “What’s in your caregiver basket?” and “What do you do to take care of yourself?”

“Making time to take care of you is so important in preventing illnesses and burnout in caregivers,” she said. “This is one of the important goals of this workshop.”

For more information, contact Ebona-Michel at 463-7168 or 463-7131.