Senior Helpers of Austin Hosts Free Caregiving Event and Webcast

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Alzheimer's Association, someone in America develops Alzheimer's disease every 68 seconds. In Texas, it's estimated that 470,000 people aged 65 and older will have Alzheimer's disease by the year 2025, resulting in the need for thousands of people to provide care for those suffering from the disease. On Thursday, September 26, 2013, caregivers in the Austin area will have the opportunity to attend a free national event sponsored by Senior Helpers. Guest speakers at the event will include Leeza Gibbons, longtime entertainment host and advocate for family caregivers, and nationally renowned occupational therapist and dementia care expert Teepa Snow. The event is sponsored by Senior Helpers of Austin, part of a national network of in-home senior care franchises that connects trained caregivers with seniors, many of whom are living with some form of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.

The event will take place at 1:00 p.m. CDT on September 26 in the Hilton Austin, located at 500 E. Fourth Street. For caregivers unable to attend the event live, it will also be streamed via webcast and available to view online. Topics will range from combating caregiver stress to identifying the signs of Alzheimer's and dementia. Senior Helpers' goal is to offer support to caregivers in order to help them combat stress and better care for their loved one or to find the appropriate help that they need to do so, ultimately increasing the quality of care of the senior in need.

"We're excited to bring this unique training opportunity to our local community," said Frank Hayes, president of Senior Helpers of Central Texas. "Providing education and support to families in our area who are facing the challenges involved with Alzheimer's disease and dementia is our mission and our passion. If we can help one person gain a better understanding of dementia and its common symptoms, behaviors and stages, we've succeeded."

The event will introduce attendees to the Senior Gems^® approach, a revolutionary program created by Teepa Snow—and enhanced and promoted by Senior Helpers—that helps caregivers and families care for their elderly loved ones living with these devastating diseases. The Senior Gems^® program is the first of its kind in the in-home care industry, and it focuses on what people with dementia can do instead of what they cannot do. Using a classification system based on the Allen Cognitive Disability Theory, the program defines which stage of dementia the person is experiencing in order to devise the best care plan for that individual.

"Caregiving is an incredibly stressful and wearing task—often leading to anxiety, depression and high blood pressure," said Peter Ross, founder and CEO of Senior Helpers. "It takes a really special person to be a caregiver and their own well-being is often overlooked. Our hope is to show them that taking care of themselves will ultimately allow them to provide better care for their loved ones."

For more information or to register to attend the live event, please visit www.regonline.com/caregiving-austin or call your local office at 512-388-4357. To register for the webcast please visit http://caregiving.seniorhelpers.com. As a bonus, all registrants will receive $25 off of a $75 online purchase at the Alzheimer's Store.

About Senior Helpers:

Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 262 franchises in 39 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.

For more information, please visit www.seniorhelpers.com.

SOURCE Senior Helpers