Upcoming Live Chats

Caregiving During a Pandemic: A Year in Review

Live chat with expert: C. Grace Whiting

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Live Chat with expert: C. Grace Whiting 

It is hard to believe the COVID-19 pandemic has been impacting the world for well over a year. Many family caregivers’ lives were turned upside down and many individuals found themselves in a caregiving role for the first time. While we have all experienced challenges, we’ve also learned resiliency, new skills and the importance of connection.  

Join Home Instead gerontologist and caregiver advocate Dr. Lakelyn Hogan as she talks with caregiving expert C. Grace Whiting from the National Alliance for Caregiving as they review how the pandemic has impacted caregivers and lessons learned for the future of caregiving. Join to learn:  

  • The impact of the pandemic on family caregiving and older adults 
  • Silver linings that have emerged for aging adults and caregivers 
  • Tips for family caregivers as they continue to navigate COVID-19 
  • Ways the pandemic will impact caregiving going forward

We will take live questions during the chat, or feel free to send them in ahead of time to [email protected].  

About the expert

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C. Grace Whiting
C. Grace Whiting is the President and CEO at the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC). Grace led the launch of the Caregiving in the U.S. 2015 report with AARP. She has contributed to several national reports on caregiving, including Cancer Caregiving in the U.S. with the National Cancer Institute and Cancer Support Community, and Dementia Caregiving in the U.S. with the Alzheimer’s Association. Previously she served as the Advocacy and Communications Director at Leaders Engaged on Alzheimer’s Disease (LEAD Coalition) and worked at the Alliance for Home Health Quality and Innovation. She has spoken on caregiving at national and international conferences and served as a resource to major media on the topic of caregiving and aging, including C-SPAN, The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine and Oprah Magazine.

Chat Archive

Finding the Joy in Caregiving

Live chat with expert: Loretta Woodward Veney

Live Chat with expert: Loretta Veney 

Caregiving can have highs and lows, which is often described as a roller coaster of emotions. For those in the caregiving role, it can be easy to get weighed down with the day-to-day challenges. Layering on a global pandemic has added stress and new challenges to the full plate of family caregivers. However, it is possible to find joy even during the difficulties of caregiving. Join Home Instead gerontologist and caregiver advocate Dr. Lakelyn Hogan as she talks with family caregiving expert Loretta Veney about finding and embracing the joy in caregiving. 

Topics covered in this live chat include: 

  • Suggestions on how to recognize and embrace moments of joy. 
  • Tips for getting your daily dose of joy. 
  • Ways to replace challenges with joy. 
  • Ideas for self-care and preventing burnout.

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Prepare to Care

Live chat with expert: Lakelyn Hogan and April Ibarra

Live Chat with expert: Lakelyn Hogan and April Ibarra

Caregiving is not something that most people plan for. Unfortunately, families are often thrown into the role as a result of a crisis but there is much families can do to proactively prepare to care. Talking with aging loved ones and helping them create a plan for how they want to live out their later stages of life, provides older adults with more control and freedom. It also can help to ensure that their wishes are communicated, so when they need more help, family and friends will know what is important to them, and why.

Join Home Instead Gerontologists Lakelyn Hogan, Ph.D. and April Ibarra as they discuss what caregivers should be planning for, including:

  • Key conversations to have with aging loved ones on health, safety, independence, finances and end of life wishes
  • What to expect as older adults progress from independence to needing more support
  • The options for care and professional support
  • Communication tips to engage in these important conversations

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Caregiving in Crisis

Live chat with expert: Lisa Winstel

November is National Family Caregivers Month – a time to recognize all that family caregivers do to keep loved ones healthy, safe and engaged. Did you know there are 53 million unpaid family caregivers in the U.S. and 61 percent of these caregivers are balancing the demands of caregiving and working? Many family caregivers experience financial strain, chronic health conditions and higher levels of stress than adults not in a caregiving role.

Join Home Instead gerontologist and caregiver advocate, Lakelyn Hogan, along with Lisa Winstel, Chief Operating Officer of Caregiver Action Network (CAN) to recognize and honor the selflessness of family caregivers and for an open discussion on what it means to be a family caregiver during a crisis like a global pandemic. Explore and learn:

  • The new realities that caregivers face during times of uncertainty
  • Resources to make caregiving a little easier during crisis
  • Tips to help plan ahead for short and long-term care needs
  • Self-care tips to keep family caregivers healthy

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What it Means to Live Well to the End

Live chat with expert: Shoshana Ungerleider

End of life is a part of life – a part of life to be honored and respected. For many older adults and their families, planning for end of life is not something either is looking forward to discussing, but proactively having these discussions can help older adults live well until the end.

Join Home Instead Senior Care gerontologist and caregiver advocate, Lakelyn Hogan, along with Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, physician and founder of End Well, an organization dedicated to helping people experience the end of life in a way that matches their values and goals, for a discussion on:

  • The importance of end of life planning and where to start
  • What it means to live well to the end
  • How communities and healthcare systems can work together to improve end of life experiences
  • How COVID-19 has shifted the conversation about end of life planning, grief and loss

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Alzheimer’s & Dementia in Communities of Color

Live chat with expert: Jason Resendez and Stephanie J. Monroe

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias disproportionately affect African Americans and Latinos. In fact, 20 percent of Americans living with the disease are African Americans and Latinos are 1.5 times more likely to be diagnosed than non-Latino whites. Why are these communities of color more heavily impacted by dementia? Our partner, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s is a national advocacy organization dedicated to mobilizing advocates to demand a cure in deeply affected communities like those of African Americans, Latinos and women.

Join Home Instead Senior Care gerontologist and caregiver advocate, Lakelyn Hogan, Jason Resendez, Director of the UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Center for Brain Health Equity and head of the LatinosAgainstAlzheimer’s Coalition, along with Stephanie J. Monroe, Director of Equity and Access and Executive Director of AfricanAmericansAgainstAlzheimer’s for a panel discussion on dementia in communities of color, including:

  • Why these communities see a higher dementia diagnosis
  • The need for a proactive approach for health equality
  • How we can all help decrease the disparity gap

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Advancements in Dementia Science & Care

Live chat with expert: Dr. Rebecca Edelmayer

Scientists, researchers, doctors and advocates come together each year at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference to share research findings, studies, theories and discoveries that will help bring the world closer to breakthroughs in dementia science and care. This year’s conference shifted to an online event and was made available to anyone to attend virtually at no cost. Read the top five takeaways according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Join Home Instead Senior Care gerontologist and caregiver advocate, Lakelyn Hogan, along with Dr. Rebecca Edelmayer, director of scientific engagement for the Alzheimer’s Association for a recap and overview of key findings, research and caregiving resources to help you and your loved ones along your Alzheimer’s caregiving journey. Attendees will learn:

  • The latest scientific findings in Alzheimer’s research
  • Updates on dementia care research
  • How to participate in and contribute to research
  • Support and resources offered by the Alzheimer’s Association

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Caregiving Trends & Their Impact on Alzheimer’s Caregivers

Live chat with expert: C. Grace Whiting

There are now 48 million unpaid family caregivers caring for an adult in the U.S., up almost eight million from just five years ago. Family caregivers now encompass more than one in five Americans. What’s more, the number of people caring for someone with Alzheimer’s jumped four percent to 26 percent. The state of caregiving in the U.S. has drastically changed since 2015. 

 Join C. Grace Whiting, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and Home Instead Senior Care gerontologist, Lakelyn Hogan for an overview of the 2020 Caregiving in the U.S. report.    

The two will discuss key findings, what they mean for caregivers and offer suggestions to ease caregiving challenges, such as: 

  • Difficulty coordinating care 
  • Caring for personal health and well-being 
  • Finding respite care 
  • Financial strain 

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Making the Connection:  How to Talk (and Listen) to People Living with Dementia

Live chat with expert: David Troxel

Communicating with individuals living with dementia can be challenging for caregivers, care partners and family members alike. Join David Troxel, an internationally known expert in Alzheimer’s disease and memory care and author of The Best Friend’s Approach to Alzheimer’s Care, and Home Instead Senior Care gerontologist and caregiver advocate Lakelyn Hogan to learn practical, effective tips and techniques to approach and improve communication.

Join to learn an overview of how Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias impact communication, in addition to:

  • The importance of verbal and non-verbal communication
  • Why persons with dementia say “no” often
  • The ethics around truth telling
  • The power of reminiscence
  • Later stage communication

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Dementia Care in the Time of Social Distancing

Live chat with expert: David Troxel

As the world adjusts to creating new routines in a time of social distancing, family caregivers are faced with new challenges that may include working from home while providing care and finding ways to stay connected with friends and families. Join David Troxel, an internationally known expert in Alzheimer’s disease and memory care and author of The Best Friend’s Approach to Alzheimer’s Care, and gerontologist and caregiver advocate Lakelyn Hogan to learn:

  • Ways to connect with loved ones via technology
  • Activities caregivers can do with a loved one while being 6 feet apart
  • Finding time to practice self-care
  • Tips for staying positive during challenging times
  • Stress management techniques

We will take live questions during the chat, or feel free to send them in ahead of time to [email protected].

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Caring for someone with Frontotemporal Degeneration

Live chat with expert: Matthew Sharp and Deena Chisholm

Frontotemporal degeneration is the most common dementia for those under age 60, yet it’s widely misunderstood and too often misdiagnosed. Join experts Matthew Sharp and Deena Chisholm from the Association of Frontotemporal Degeneration and gerontologist and caregiver advocate Lakelyn Hogan for an overview of Frontotemporal Degeneration. Participants will learn: 

  •  How frontotemporal degeneration differs from Alzheimer’s and other dementias 
  • Signs, symptoms and behaviors 
  • What the diagnosis journey looks like 
  • How caregivers can support a loved one 
  • Resources available for families  
  • Recent research and clinical trials 

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