Stay Connected - Montgomery County Event Calendars

Every day in Montgomery County residents can participate in a range of programmed activities.

Ranging from: educational events, book readings, community fairs, meet your elected official, health and wellness classes, social activities and so much more. These events are published in the County's two public calendars (central and library).As a caregiver many of these events will be an ideal way to:

• stay connected
• ensure your voice is heard
• learn about Montgomery County and Maryland resources
• connect with neighbors
• improve quality of life
• enjoy cultural and social programs
• and much more

Each Montgomery County calendar can be viewed and searched by your special interest, location, date and a range of other criteria.

Click to view central calendar

Includes: Countywide activities, special dates and announcements and County government events.

Click to view library calendar

Includes: special Montgomery County library programs - book clubs, films, lectures, workshops and much more.

Senior Planet - technology workshops for seniors

Online since 2006 and relaunched in fall 2012, SeniorPlanet.org celebrates aging by sharing information and resources that support aging with attitude, and helps people who were born long before the digital revolution to stay engaged and active by bringing a digital-technology focus to a range of topics – among them news, health, sex and dating, art and design, senior style, travel and entertainment.  Click here to learn more about Senior Planet

Registration Open Now for Free Senior Planet Montgomery.

Classes in Montgomery County run till December 13.

Designed for learners age 60 and older, these courses train participants to confidently use technology to improve their financial security and health; open a new business; improve their ability to live independently; or just use the internet for better daily living.

Click here to view the final classes for 2019

Holy Cross Caregiver Support Groups and Resource Center

The Holy Cross Caregiver Resource Center is a wealth of information and supportive services for

caregivers. If you’re living with aging parents, or caring for a loved one or friend, the center is your go-to resource for support, education and the latest on healthy aging, and disease diagnosis and treatment.

The caregiver resource center hosts caregiver support groups, where spouses and adult children can share sorrows and problems, joys and successes, resources and solutions. The center also sponsors caregiver education classes featuring information on everything from handling your aging parent’s finances and first aid—to CPR. View caregiver classes and support group information.

The center also hosts a Caregiver Telephone Helpline at 301-754-7152 to answer questions about services and resources for caregivers.

The center’s health information library is a complimentary service that provides caregivers access to books, DVDs, audiotapes and videotapes on caregiver issues and health-related topics, as well as pamphlets, AARP publications and reprints of health-related articles. Other caregiver resources of this library include brochures from local resources, and listings of aging adult services in our community.

The center’s complimentary newsletter, Caregiver News, is published three times a year to provide you with tips, book reviews, resources, articles on care giving, and listings of the center’s upcoming seminars, lectures and support groups.
Click here to view Holy Cross Caregiver Support Groups

Marijuana: Fact vs. Fiction

Sponsored by Montgomery County -Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse Advisory Council - (AODAAC)

Saturday, December 14, 2019
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

• Who Is Using Marijuana and Why?
• How Does Marijuana Impact Youth?
• Risks and Benefits of Marijuana Use.

Come to a free interactive forum with legal, health policy, and medical experts to learn more
about this important topic that affects us all!

R.S.V.P. essential at: http://bit.ly/AODAACMarijuanaForum

Location:
Gaithersburg High School - 101 Education Blvd, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

Maryland Commission on Caregiving

Caring for the Caregiver  - Maintaining your own health is essential to managing your role as a

caregiver.

“Research has shown that caregivers have poorer physical health than non-caregivers, with an estimated 17 to 35 percent of family caregivers perceiving their health as fair to poor. Family caregivers face chronic health problems of their own and health risks, such as heart disease, hypertension, stroke, poorer immune function, slower wound healing, impaired self-care, sleep problems and fatigue, increased use of psychotropic drugs, and even death among highly stressed spouse caregivers.”

“Stress or mood swings rock everyone’s balance from time to time. However, when too much stress, anxiety, depression, or worries interfere with your health, career or personal relationships, it’s time to make a change. No matter how difficult things seem, by learning to harness overwhelming stress and gain emotional awareness, you can bring yourself into balance and have a more positive effect on those around you. You can also turn to friends and family members for both practical and emotional support. Throughout the caregiving process, make sure to take care of yourself. When you’re healthy, calm, and focused, you’ll be a better caregiver.”

http://dhs.maryland.gov/maryland-commission-caregiving/taking-care-of-self/

All Cancer Caregiver Support Group

This ongoing Free monthly group is open to all cancer caregivers.

Next meeting: Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Join an evening of learning, open conversation, and companionship. Guest speakers will discuss relevant topics, such as coping with diagnosis, working with employers, health insurance issues, disability claims, estate planning, financial matters, intimacy and respite and stress management for the caregiver. 

Sponsored by Suburban Hospital and HCI Volunteer Helping Hands.  

Registration required; contact Barbara Doherty, MS, RN at 301-896-6782 or at bdohert4@jhmi.edu

Johns Hopkins Health Care and Surgery Center

6420 Rockledge Drive Suite 1200, Bethesda, MD 20817

Registration may not be required for this event. 

For more information, call 301-896-3939.

Just Us at the National Gallery of Art

Just Us at the National Gallery of Art provides interactive, discussion-based experiences in the

galleries for people with early-stage memory loss and their care partners. Participants will explore two to three works of art during the 90-minute program. This program takes place on the first and third Mondays of the month.

East Building Tours

December 16 

2:00 to 3:30pm

East Building Atrium

West Building Tours

December 2 

2:00 to 3:30pm

West Building, Main Floor—Founder's Room

Space is limited and registration is required.

Call to register: (202) 842-6905

Caregiver Tele-Connection - telephone and online caregiver support

The Caregiver Teleconnection is a free, bilingual, and confidential program that connects caregivers and

family members to information and support through the telephone or “tele-learning”.

Learn how to create an internal climate in your mind and body that makes being a caregiver healthier for you.

The Caregiver Teleconnection provides learning sessions on a variety of useful topics, hosted over the phone by professional facilitators and experts. Family caregivers have the opportunity to connect and share with others in their situation during the sessions.
Some of the topics included in the tele-learning sessions are:


There are two ways to register for a tele-learning session:
You can register via their website 24 hours a day, seven days per week. Register now.
You can call the Caregiver Teleconnection customer service line, Monday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm (CST) at 866-390-6491 or 210-871-7SOS (7767)Participation in the Caregiver Tele-Connection helps prevent caregiver burnout, depression and anxiety, social isolation and other problems that threaten your health. The program can help you gain a greater sense of control and improve your quality of life.

Click here for December details and registration

Special programs focused on the holidays + plus in Spanish

Sessions are one hour in length

Caregiver Teleconnection On Demand
We realize that sometimes it’s difficult for caregivers to participate in our live sessions based on scheduling issues. We’ve made it easier for you to get the information you need by recording many of our live sessions.
Click to access recorded sessions!

Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter Offers Thanksgiving Tips for Dementia Caregivers

The Thanksgiving holiday can be a joyous time of year, but it can also be stressful. That’s especially

true for families of the 340 thousand Hoosiers currently serving as Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers. The Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter is offering
tips for Thanksgiving travel and family gatherings.

Familiarize others with the situation. The holidays are full of emotions, so it can help to let guests know what to expect before they arrive. If the person is in the early stages of the disease, relatives, and friends might not notice any changes. But the person with dementia may have trouble following conversation or tend to repeat him- or herself. Family members can help with communication by being patient, not interrupting or correcting, and giving the person time to finish his or her thoughts. If the person is in the middle or late stages of Alzheimer’s, there may be significant changes in cognitive abilities since the last time an out-of-town friend or relative has visited. These changes can be hard to accept. Caregivers may find it easier to share changes in a letter or email that can be sent to multiple recipients.

Adjust expectations. The stress of caregiving responsibilities layered with holiday traditions can take a toll. Caregivers may want to call a face-to-face meeting or arrange for a group discussion via telephone, video chat or email for family and friends to discuss holiday celebrations. It may also be necessary to adjust expectations or traditions. For example, if Thanksgiving dinner is traditionally held in the evening, but the person with the disease tends to be more confused and agitated at that time, shifting it to earlier in the day may help. Take travel precautions. Thanksgiving often involves travel, which can be especially challenging. It is best to stick with places that are familiar, avoid layovers if possible, and be aware that changes in the environment can trigger wandering.

Reach out for help. The Alzheimer’s Association has a free National Helpline 800-272-3900 that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – even on holidays. Specially trained staff are able to help with questions about communicating with a person with dementia, safety issues, local resources or any other question caregivers or other family members may have.

About the Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Visit alz.org or call 800-272-3900.

National Alliance for Caregiving - Newsletter

NOVEMBER 26, 2019 How Our Relationship Survived When My Partner Got Sick "'Male caregivers, in general, have the tendency to play tough guy and not allow themselves to experience any feelings,' says Barry Jacobs, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist who’s a national spokesperson on family caregiving for the American Heart Association. That breeds a conspiracy of silence that shuts out your partner and doesn’t give honest conversations—the stuff healthy relationships are built on... You’ve got to find a way to bring up what you’re feeling, even if it’s negative. One way to start is to define the illness as a couple or family issue—'us against the disease,' says C. Grace Whiting, CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving, a research and advocacy group. Then together you can acknowledge what has been lost and the sadness around that." From: Men'sHealth | November 21, 2019 SEE MORE > Addressing the Caregiver Crisis in the Workforce "To determine what benefits or programs would be most effective, employers should ask their workforce directly through an employee survey, creating an open channel for employees to suggest the benefits that would be the most helpful. I Employers can also study claims data to keep their finger on the pulse of how many employees have had children and could be in a childcare situation, or how many had a spouse diagnosed with a critical illness or disability. These can be opportunities to create personalized touch points and engage these employees with the available resources." I From: Benefits Pro | November 14, 2019 SEE MORE > Caregiving Report Highlights Need for Collective Action "The estimated economic value of [caregivers'] unpaid contributions was approximately $470 billion. By comparison, all out-of-pocket spending on U.S. health care in 2017 was only $366 billion... I These realities are particularly relevant today because families and family caregivers are changing... Smaller families mean fewer siblings to help share the care. High rates of divorce and smaller family sizes, coupled with more working families, means that in the future, older adults with health and functional needs will have fewer potential family members on whom they can rely for everyday help." From: AARP Blogs | November 20, 2019 SEE MORE > NEW RESEARCH: Sandwich Generation Caregiving in the U.S. “Families are squeezed, and they need help to balance work and home life. National conversations are heating up on paid family and medical leave, universal childcare, and the need to expand long-term services and supports. Now is the time to invest in workplace flexibility and a robust national infrastructure that can support and augment care for the friends and family who need our care." - C. Grace Whiting, J.D., President/CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving. In the spirit of National Family Caregivers Month, the National Alliance for Caregiving and Caring Across Generations, in partnership with MassMutual's SpecialCare program, have released “Burning the Candle at Both Ends: Sandwich Caregiving Generation in the U.S.” today, November 26th. The report was released at a briefing with policymakers, caregivers, and other stakeholders. This groundbreaking study shines some light on the estimated 11 million Americans who are caught between the demands of both childcare and caring for an aging or disabled adult family member. The above info-graphic represents some of the unique characteristics of these caregivers, such as that 67% of sandwich caregivers are employed, underscoring their need for such policies as the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act. The info-graphic also highlights the diversity of this group of caregivers, demonstrating the importance of solutions that fit their diverse needs. View a recording of the national briefing on this report HERE. VIEW THE REPORT > The RAISE Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center To support the Family Caregiver Advisory Council’s work, the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) has created the RAISE Act Family Caregiver Resource and Dissemination Center with support from The John A. Hartford Foundation to: ·     Develop family caregiving resources for state and federal policymakers and other stakeholders; ·     Provide support to the council and its subcommittee member as they craft policy recommendations; ·     Convene experts and thought leaders to provide perspectives and expertise to the council; and ·     Support states as they develop policies to address family caregiver issues. LEARN MORE > Connecting ALS Podcast: Panel Discussion on Caregiving Connecting ALS is a monthly podcast from the the ALS Association. Through conversations, interviews, and audio documentaries, Connecting Allies aims to to discuss research and technology developments, highlight advocacy efforts, and share the personal stories woven through the community. I In honor of National Family Caregivers Month, the podcast recorded a bonus episode with two caregivers, Gary and Kathy, who shared their experiences with caregiving. The guests brought up the importance of respite, the Durable Medical Equipment Loan Pool, and the Hrbek-Sing program. I If you're an ALS caregiver, you can find more resources HERE. LISTEN > REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS! Conduct Listening Sessions for the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council Due: November 30, 2019 The National Academy for State Health Policy also released a Request for Proposals (due 11/30) from experienced contractors to organize, facilitate, and summarize listening sessions and/or focus groups for the Council in 2020. NASHP is supporting this series of public listening sessions, starting in calendar year 2020, to assist the Administration for Community Living (ACL) in its effort to engage with members of the public, families and family caregivers, diverse stakeholders, and other individuals and entities with an interest in understanding and supporting the multi-faceted needs of family caregivers across the age and disability spectrum. Proposals (and any questions) should be submitted to Wendy Fox-Grage by November 30, 2019 and should be no more than five pages in length. The successful contractor is expected to be notified by December 20, 2019. LEARN MORE > FOLLOW US TO STAY CURRENT ON CAREGIVING! ‌ ‌ ‌