Both professional and family caregivers across the Pacific Northwest have the chance to not only share their challenges and joys but also learn valuable tips for daily caregiving through the annual Legacy of Love, the African American Caregivers Forum, held Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021.
Presented during National Family Caregivers Month, the virtual event will be held from noon to 2 p.m. PST and will focus this year on memory care. The opportunity to connect with fellow caregivers is especially important right now, said Karen Winston, a senior planner at Aging and Disability Services, who coordinates the event.
“Every day, family caregivers face emotional and physical stress, lost income and financial strain, and feelings of isolation,” she said in a release. “Community surveys indicate that BIPOC and LGBTQ caregivers have difficulty accessing health care, financial and legal support for their loved ones. The Legacy of Love caregiver forum provides a wonderful balance of inspiration, tips and tools for family caregivers.”
Attendees can hear from keynote speaker LueRachelle Brim-Atkins, who not only serves as founder and principal consultant of Brim-Donahoe & Associates and partner in The Diversity Collaborative but also provided dementia care for her own mother. Brim-Atkins has experience in public, private and nonprofit organizational training and development, and has created custom educational programs related to leadership, diversity and social change for more than 30 years. At one time, her consulting firm was the lead diversity consultant for The Boeing Co., and other clients have included Microsoft, Deloitte, IBM and others.
In addition, local caregivers Theresa Gossett, Pammyla Hubbard and Stephen LaBoo will speak about their own caregiving experiences, and the discussion will be moderated by Margaret Boddie, the program manager with the African American Elders Program. A special presentation by Stephanie Haslam with Compassionate Legal Care PLLC will focus on end-of-life planning.
The event promises a number of key takeaways for caregivers who register, including: “tips for finding humor in everyday situations and celebrating the moments that touch your heart; tips for including loved ones in social activities with friends and family; tips for connecting with other caregivers; tips for getting your affairs in order and preparing for end-of-life; and resources for family caregivers throughout the region.”
The culturally focused event typically draws caregivers across the Pacific Northwest and will also offer three CEUs through the National Association of Social Workers at no charge for attendees.
The event is co-sponsored by AARP Washington, African American Elders Program, Age Friendly Seattle, Aging and Disability Services, Catholic Community Services, Mayor’s Council on African American Elders, Compassionate Legal Care PLLC, Seattle Human Services Department, and Sound Generations.
To register, visit https://www.agingkingcounty.org/legacyoflove/. (Auto captions will also be available for the event in multiple languages; email [email protected] for more information.)
