Many families face the challenge of raising children in conjunction with taking care of aging parents, leaving them feeling physically and mentally drained.
To help families of such circumstances know where to access the right help, a symposium — Where Do We Go From Here? — will be held at the Sylvan Lake Community Centre this fall.
A wide range of resources and contact information on caregivers, housing and supportive living will be presented at the Oct. 7 event, with around 35 groups having been invited.
Discussion topics could include accommodation arrangements, home care, stress management, communication, conflict resolution, family dynamics, self care and time management.
Attendees will be given clear information on accommodation processes for their family members, said Sylvan Lake Seniors Association program co-ordinator Maryan Weenink.
“People are under the assumption that, to go into the Manor or the Lodge, you have to go through home care and get an assessment done, and that’s not the process. They are independent,” she said. “A lot of them just assume that it’s all together, but it’s very separate.”
Different living accommodations and what to expect in caregiving will be explained as well.
Weenink said the information event is much needed in town, as the more people in the know, the better they can help and provide for their family members.
“It will also prepare them as they get older to know where to go when they themselves are facing those needs.”