Starting in April, Interior Health and the Penticton & District Community Resources Society are getting together for a series of free drop-in information sessions.
Andrée Leduc, a nurse with Home Health programs at Interior Health, said the CARES (Caring for Adults Requiring Extra Support) sessions give seniors, their families and caregivers help with planning for the future, along with guidance in healthy living.
This is the second year the information sessions they’ve offered the sessions, which grew out of a suggestion by a coworker who helped create the Baby Talk program, which offers information for new moms.
“She had to navigate the system with her father and her father-in-law and she realized there is a lack of information out there available for seniors and family taking care of them,” said Leduc. “We find that our clients that we see through home health, either lack information or don’t know where to get the information that is out there for them.”
Leduc said they started gathering information they thought would be useful for everyone to know. Incorporating questions asked of Interior Health staff, they came up with a few topics to provide information on.
The sessions run at 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays from April 6 to June 8 in the Penticton Health Centre, 740 Carmi Ave., each covering a different topic. Last year, Leduc started out with eight topics including, managing chronic conditions, community support, home support, financial and legal concerns.
This year, they’ve added two more sessions, one on mental health and another on end of life care.
“What is available, how to access Moog House if you needed to, what is the criteria to be eligible for palliative care, things like that,” said Leduc.
The information sessions appeal to a broad range, from seniors looking for information to adults looking to the future for themselves, or as caregivers to seniors.
“There is information for everybody,” said Leduc. Though the program does not offer individual counselling, an Interior Health nurse will be available for 30 minutes after each session to offer referrals and general information.
No registration is required. For more information call 250-770-3602.