
Second Annual Caregivers’ Conference to be held April 1
SPC Programs & Events March 8, 2016This is a media advisory from St. Petersburg College. For more information, contact Rita Farlow, Assistant Director, Marketing and Strategic Communications, at 727-302-6526.
Second Annual Caregivers’ Conference to be held April 1
What is it like to experience Alzheimer’s – a disease that affects more than 5 million Americans? Those attending the Second Annual Caregivers’ Conference at St. Petersburg College on April 1 will go inside the dementia experience in a session called “Entering Their World,” led by dementia patient advocate Peggy Macaluso, from both a professional and personal point of view.
The conference, with the theme “Getting Real About Reality,” will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, April 1, in the Conference Center of SPC’s Seminole campus, 9200 113th St. N. The event, which includes a buffet lunch, is free, but advance registration is required. To register, email maria@mariacares.com, or call 727-393-7711.
The conference is co-sponsored by the Florida Caregivers Network and the Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions at St. Petersburg College.
The “virtual” Alzheimer’s experience is just one of more than a half-dozen sessions on the agenda that will offer helpful advice and the latest information on dementia research to family caregivers, volunteers working with older adults, and professionals in aging and related services.
Keynote speaker will be the Hon. David Jolly, 13th District Congressman from St. Petersburg. Other speakers and panelists will include:
- Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, who will discuss his department’s Project Lifesaver, an electronic tracking device for dementia patients
- Linda Burhans, author and nationally recognized expert on caregiver advocacy
- Karen Truman, founder and president of Dementia Caregiver Resources Inc., cited by Assisted Living Today as one of the nation’s top memory care experts
- Dr. Sunit Srivastava, managing member of the Legacy Health Medical Group, which specializes in the care of residents in nursing homes, and assisted and independent living facilities
- Helen King, deputy director of the Pinellas-Pasco Area Agency on Aging
During breaks, conference attendees will be able to browse the booths of more than a dozen vendors offering products and services to assist caregivers. Door prizes, including a free beach resort weekend, will be awarded throughout the conference.