WILMINGTON — Caregiving is a difficult process and takes many forms. A caregiver is someone who helps a neighbor living alone recover after an accident. It's a son who is helping his mother stay in her home. It is a daughter who is helping her father navigate which nursing home to choose. It is a couple trying to decide the best way to help their child with autism achieve independence.
It can also start without a moment's notice. An accidental fall or unexpected diagnosis can suddenly make a person the primary caregiver for a loved one.
Wheel Pad - a Wilmington-based company that manufactures home attachments and backyard tiny houses to make any property a safe, universally accessible place for people with mobility challenges - is hosting its first webinar, “How to Become a Caregiver,” on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 6:30 p.m.
According to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, 43 million people in the United States have provided unpaid caregiving for a loved one in the last 12 months - more than one in 10 people.
“If you are one of those 43 million people, or think you may be one day, this webinar is for you,” the organizers said in a news release. “This webinar is to provide people access to the emotional resources they'll need to be successful.”
Panelists include:
• Janet Cramer MS, LICSW has been a caregiver personally and professionally. She provides support for families facing similar issues, as well as marriage and family therapy.
• Jennifer Jacobs, founder of Adaptiva HR and a caregiver for both her in-laws.
• Tom Hamilton, executive director of Vermont Statewide Independent Living Council, brings an understanding of state and federal resources available to those beginning this process.
The webinar focuses on the beginning of the caregiving process. A discussion will follow.
“Our goal is to help people access the tools they need to be a successful caregiver and [determine] what that means for a family as a whole,” the organizers said. “We find that people often ask questions about caregiving we are not equipped to answer.”
To register, visit wheelpad.com/caregiverwebinar. For more information, contact R.J. Adler, webinar host and the firm's business development director, at [email protected] or 802-458-7194.