Editor,
At Central Vermont Council on Aging, we provide a wide range of services to empower seniors to live healthy, dignified and meaningful lives.

Did you know that as part of our mission we support the many family members who are caregivers for elder loved ones? We sponsor activities such as Caregiver Teas and family caregiver education, and provide information and support to connect caregivers with resources and services.

Last week, we finished our spring series, “Powerful Tools for Caregivers” in Barre. This six-week course addresses issues of stress and self-care, communication skills, decision-making and action planning for family caregivers, who are the largest unpaid workforce in the nation. The curriculum is solid, but what makes each session wonderful is the rich interaction, sharing and learning with fellow caregivers.

I want to thank each of the 15 participants for his or her part in this successful series, as well as for the beautiful and challenging service they perform every day. Special thanks, too, to Kathe McBride who generously volunteered her time as a co-instructor for this course.

Several of the participants learned about “Powerful Tools” through coverage in the WORLD; others heard about it through CVCOA outreach, Montpelier Memory Cafe, Project Independence, and friends and neighbors. We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to reach and build a supportive caregiving community with everyone’s help. So, thanks for spreading the word!

Individuals interested in future offerings, and businesses that may wish to host workshops for employees who are family caregivers, are encouraged to contact me to learn more.

Barb Asen, Coordinator
Family Caregiver Support Program
Central VT Council on Aging