FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ON January 19, 2001
Caregivers Conference Offers Tools and Techniques
St. Paul, Minn. -
"Caregiver Issues in Minnesota: Coping with Neurologic Disease" is an upcoming program aimed at providing tools and strategies for people who provide day-to-day care for family members with neurological disorders. The American Academy of Neurology''s Education and Research Foundation and its Auxiliary, sponsors of the program, are offering the workshop for the first time in the Twin Cities on Feb. 10, with plans to organize similar programs in other locations throughout the country. The day-long program will be held at the Radisson Conference Center in Plymouth from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fee is $20 in advance or $25 at the door. For registration information call 651-695-2706. Former U.S. Sen. Dave Durenburger, a national champion on health care issues, will speak on "long-term care," and Pat Samples, a nationally recognized educator and author of several books for caregivers, will present a luncheon program on stress management for caregivers. Ronald Cranford, MD, a neurologist and medical ethicist at the Hennepin County Medical Center, will moderate a panel discussion on "Bioethics: Tough Decisions for Patients, Families and Providers." Practicing neurologists and experts from local patient support groups including the Alzheimer''s Association, Epilepsy Foundation, Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Stroke Association, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association, and others will participate in breakout sessions on caregiver resources, respite care, legal and financial issues, hospice, and daily care issues. "Family caregivers must deal with isolation, fatigue and often a lack of understanding from others" said Jeanne Ettinger, an AAN Auxiliary member and program organizer. "The Auxiliary is offering this program in an effort to help improve the caregiver''s quality of life." According to the National Family Caregivers Association, a support and advocacy group for caregivers, an estimated 54 million people in the United States are family caregivers. A survey by that association found that the majority of caregivers are female, married, between the ages of 36 and 65 years old, are employed outside jobs full-time and provide more than 20 hours of care per week.