The Kensington Sierra Madre is pleased to share HFC’s CareCon 2023 — a virtual event to help bring support and awareness to caregivers across America! In case you missed it, watch below or explore the entire playlist of panels here.
CareCon is a free event designed to inspire, educate, and empower caregivers who give Alzheimer’s and dementia family members a chance to live the best lives.
This event is hosted by Hilarity for Charity (HFC) founders Lauren Miller Rogen (director of the film Like Father) and Seth Rogen (star of Superbad and Knocked Up, among others).
The Kensington Sierra Madre knows how caregiving for elderly family members can be challenging—doubly so when the family member has dementia or Alzheimer’s.
As part of The Kensington’s continuing efforts to aid caregiver support groups and caregivers in general, we’re very happy to collaborate with HFC’s CareCon events.
What is CareCon?
CareCon is a virtual get-together for caregivers dealing with a dementia-afflicted loved one.
The event is hosted by HFC founders Laura and Seth Rogen and features expert-led workshops and celebrity panels.
Like the successful CareCon of previous years, this year’s event focused on:
- The challenges of being a caregiver to someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease
- Caregiving tips and advice
- Medial insight into Alzheimer’s and brain health
- Tips for avoiding caregiver burnout
- Learning how to treat your loved one and yourself better
In the first hour, four panels with doctors, specialists, and famous personalities provided 30- to 40-minute presentations about their experiences with brain health and maintaining good mental health habits.
Guests for CareCon 2023
This year’s panel included celebrity members such as Wayne Brady, Joey McIntyre and Kate Burton!
Along with discussions, helpful advice, and resource connections for caregivers who assist people with Alzheimer’s and dementia, HFC also presented the Scotty Caregiver Award.
What is the Scotty Caregiver Award?
For the second year in a row, Kensington Senior Living sponsored HFC’s Scotty Award at CareCon, which is conveniently held on National Caregivers Day.
The award was named in honor of Scott Miller, a loving caregiver to HFC founder Lauren Miller Rogen’s late mother, Adele, who passed away in 2020 after a long battle with dementia.
The award seeks to recognize an unpaid caregiver nominated by family members, friends, or themselves.
A panel of judges made up of current and former caregivers as well as thought leaders selected a winner who is recognized for their dedicated characteristics throughout a caregiving experience:
- Loving support provided during a challenging time
- Patience and perseverance demonstrated
- Creativity exhibited
The reward for the winner is 50 hours of in-home respite care or the cash equivalent.
Our nominee from Sierra Madre is Martie Bayha!
Martie, daughter of Kensington resident Becky, was the sole caregiver for both her mother and father at home for many years. She is a selfless, loving and dedicated caregiver to her mother, visiting regularly and involved in all aspects of her daily life – all while balancing her career and caring for three grandchildren, too.
Martie is our hero and we are so grateful to have her as part of our Kensington family! We are honored to nominate her for the 2023 HFC Scotty Caregiver Award.
Recognizing the need for caregiver support
Whether you do it professionally or personally, people should know that caregiving is demanding.
Even with the inherent rewards, the stress of providing care can lead to caregiver burnout if not managed properly.
Caregiver burnout is when your physical, emotional, and mental state becomes exhausted from prolonged stress. This condition can lead to serious health issues, including depression and anxiety. It’s essential for caregivers to be mindful of their well-being and identify signs of burnout to avoid it.
Steps to avoid caregiver burnout
The first step in avoiding caregiver burnout is to get support.
Establishing a network of family, friends, and community members who can provide emotional and practical assistance is important. Don’t be afraid to reach out to professionals such as therapists, as well. There’s no shame in talking to someone.
Caregivers should also take advantage of support groups and organizations designed to support caregivers from all walks of life. These organizations can provide helpful tips, resources, and emotional support for everyone involved in your caregiving challenges.
Caring for caregivers
Caregivers need to make sure to take care of themselves. Self-care is essential for avoiding burnout—a detriment to the person you care for as much as yourself.
Set aside time for activities that bring joy and create a sense of accomplishment.
For example, caregivers can take time to go for a walk, read a book, or take part in a hobby. Making time for regular exercise and getting enough sleep is also important for reducing stress and avoiding burnout.
Finally, caregivers should be mindful of their feelings and not be afraid to seek out help when needed. If the stress of caregiving becomes overwhelming, it’s important to reach out to a trusted family member or friend or to seek the professional help of a senior living community.
Caregivers should never feel ashamed or embarrassed to ask for help. In fact, it’s a sign of strength, not weakness.
The Kensington Sierra Madre’s commitment to caregiving
Getting support, practicing self-care, and asking for help are crucial ways caregivers can avoid burnout.
Self-care helps caregivers continue to provide their essential and meaningful care with the compassion and energy needed to make everyone’s day better.
The Kensington Sierra Madre’s memory care team is professionally trained to deal with the special day-to-day needs of our residents.
With two levels of memory care – Connections and Haven – we are able to cater to early to late stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
We know what a challenge this job can be. We also know how rewarding this job can be if you have the right resources.
If you, or someone you know, is looking for solutions for their caregiving situation, reach out to us.
We’re here for you and your loved ones as we are for our own families. We can help.