BROOKINGS, SD – South Dakota State University Extension and North Dakota State University Extension are hosting a series of free virtual workshops for family caregivers.
The workshops will be offered on Jan. 19, Feb. 16 and March 16. All presentations start at noon CST and last one hour. They are free to attend, and caregivers can sign up as individuals or invite a group as a watch party host.
Tessa Johnson will present on Jan. 19 about understanding and responding to dementia-related behaviors and will help caregivers identify, assess and address those behaviors. Johnson is a registered nurse, executive director of CountryHouse and Evergreen Dickinson assisted living center in Dickinson, North Dakota, and volunteer with the North Dakota Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
On Feb. 16, caregivers will learn about estate and elder law planning to better understand the benefit of powers of attorney, what a probate is and the purpose of a will. Rebecca L. Wilson, a partner with Myers Billion LLP law firm in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, will lead the presentation. Wilson’s practice areas include estate planning and elder law, and she also serves on the Sioux Falls Estate Planning Council, the board of directors for the South Dakota office of the Alzheimer’s Association, and the Elder Law Committee for the State Bar of South Dakota.
For the final presentation in March, Karri Morris will provide caregivers with the information they need to know about Medicare. Morris is a Medicare manager with the North Dakota Insurance Department, which regulates the insurance industry for the state of North Dakota. Her presentation will answer frequently asked questions and identify assistance options.
To register for the January presentation, visit https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/events/caregiver-workshop-series for more information or to register. To learn about hosting a watch party or for other questions, contact Jane Strommen, NDSU Extension gerontology specialist, at 701-231-5948 or [email protected]
