While it may be something we don’t want to think about, we will probably be faced with making long-term care decisions. What happens if I get sick, and I can’t remain in my home? How can I stay in my home, and receive care? How will I pay for all of this? Knowing what the options are, how to make preparations, and putting things into place in advance can help. Last Thursday, Senior Services of Alexandria’s Speaker Series focused on this important topic.
Panelists at the SSA event covered a wide range of long-term care services and support available here in Alexandria, as well as state-wide resources. David DeBiasi, AARP’s associate state director, framed the issue and spoke about the cost of care in Virginia. The audience heard from local service provider Adult Companion Care about in-home support, and also learned about the various options available for assisted living, continuing care and nursing home facilities. Kathy McNulty from Capital Care of Alexandria talked about when palliative or hospice care may be the right choice.
The audience left the event with a wealth of information, ready to move forward in a positive way.
As one of the workshop panelists, Tom West from Signature Estate & Investment Advisors, so candidly stated, “In situations when you have to make life-altering decisions, you don’t want to rely on your emotions for decision-making. Knowledge and advanced planning can help make informed decisions about the future for you or your loved one.”
Presentations from the workshop and links to additional information are available on SSA’s website at www.seniorservicesalex.org.
Next month Senior Services of Alexandria will be hosting a special event on June 12 that will focus on “Protecting Against Identity Theft and Fraudulent Schemes.” BB&T Bank will lead the conversation about how seniors can protect themselves against this growing problem. In addition, panelists from all seven of the 2012/2013 speaker series events will be on hand to answer any questions and share information if you missed our earlier events. This free event will be held at the Charles Beatley Central Library from 9:30 – noon, and a light breakfast will be served. To register go to SSA’s website or call 703- 836 4414, ext. 10.
SSA would like to thank everyone who participated in this year’s Speaker Series. An average of 100 seniors attended each session with topics ranging from volunteer and employment opportunities to health and fitness to dealing with memory issues.
Kathleen Burgess, a local attorney, looking for resources to help care for her mother, told us that, “You will probably never know how much good SSA is doing with the superb delivery of information.”
It is so rewarding to our board of directors and staff that we are achieving our goal of providing the latest information on topics that are relevant to all Alexandria seniors.
For information on upcoming programs and services provided, call 703-836-4414, ext. 10.