“Caregivers are so busy providing for the needs of others that they often neglect their own needs,” Dianna Young, nurse liaison at Takoma Adventist Hospital, said. “That’s why we created this special caregiver’s conference, so we can encourage them and support them with the latest information from experts in the field.”

   The Third Annual Caregiver’s Conference will be held Thursday, Aug. 24, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the historic General Morgan Inn in downtown Greeneville. “The conference has grown in leaps and bounds each year,” Young, organizer of the event, said. “We expect an even larger crowd this year.”

   This year’s theme is “Do You Really Know Me?” and will feature the latest information on how to best care for Alzheimer patients, Young said.

   “Caregivers also have special needs,” Young noted. “This conference will provide them with the resources they need to manage their issues and concerns, resulting in improved care for their homebound loved ones and friends.”

   Keynote speaker will be Teepa Snow, an occupational therapist who is education director and lead trainer for the Eastern North Carolina Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Snow will discuss helpful ways to provide the most effective care for Alzheimer’s patients.

   Snow also is a counseling associate for the Duke University School of Nursing. She has more than 25 years of experience in the field of geriatrics.

   Other special guests include:

   · Rhonda Marshall, a registered nurse who is certified in adolescent and adult psychiatric nursing. She will discuss ways to talk to physicians about depression. Marshall has extensive knowledge in the field of geriatric mental health. She is a founding member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill in Johnson City, and a member of the Northeast Tennessee-Southwest Virginia Advisory Board.

   · Storyteller Guerry McConnell, who will share stories and songs from her relationship with her mother and her metamorphosis as the result of having Alzheimer’s. McConnell has been featured with her husband, Doc McConnell, as a “Storyteller In Residence” at the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough.

   Registration costs $15, which includes a buffet lunch, snacks and important handouts. Numerous vendors also will be on site, giving away gifts.

   Continued education units (CEUs ) are available for nurses for an additional $10. Contact hours also are available.

   Sitter services are available for caregivers wanting to attend the conference. For more information, please contact Joyce Treadway at Wellington Place in Greeneville at 798-0404; Johnnie Lyons at Wellington Place in Johnson City at 915-0110; and Judy Trobaugh at Wellington Place in Newport at 613-4585.

   For more information on the conference, please contact Dianna Young at 921-2354 or Margie Rasmussen at 636-2446. Early registration is encouraged, as seating is limited.

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