Families Caring workshop set

Applications may be obtained at the Senior Center for the upcoming workshop on Families Caring for Aging Family Members with Developmental Disabilities being planned by the Arc of Tennessee and the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability.

The event will take place Sept. 19 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church fellowship hall, 3900 West End Ave., Nashville.

This professional workshop is designed to explore how local groups in the aging and disabilities communities can work together to better serve aging adults with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities and their caregivers.

Nationally, there are an estimated 475,000 older caregivers of children and adults with development disabilities. They may be grandparents caring for their grandchildren or parents or other relatives caring for an adult with a disability.

In Tennessee, many of these families are not known to the state aging services or disability providers, as they have cared for the family members at home and have never contacted either service system.

Both aging and disability service providers may both have a role in meeting these families needs before a crisis arises. Long-term planning is needed for an individual with a developmental disability to ensure arrangements are in place for community housing, work, health and leisure after the family caregiver is no longer there to provide support.

The Arc of the United States, through its National Family caregiver Support Program is conducting this important training to facilitate networking and collaboration between the aging and disabilities agencies to maximize help for families in these caregiving situations.

Call 615-248-5878 for registration by phone or mail the form today to The Arc of Tennessee, 44 Vantage Way, Suite 550, Nashville, Tenn. 37228-8345.