Helping those who provide aid to others

Warren Wolfe has a great piece in today's Star Tribune at Elder Care Expo:

Caregivers who assist aging relatives will find a vast array of services -- and knowledgeable advice -- at the two-day event at the State Fairgrounds. ... The calls from frantic caregivers of older people come to social service agencies every day -- dad got lost while driving, or mom won't seem to eat, or I need to find a good nursing home fast. For the first time in Minnesota, hundreds of experts from government, nonprofit agencies and businesses will offer presentations and workshops at an Elder Care Expo Friday and Saturday at the State Fairgrounds in Falcon Heights. "When you look at this, it's pretty darned comprehensive," said Jean Wood, executive director of the Minnesota Board on Aging, which funnels state and federal money to local agencies. "Most of the expos I'm aware of are pretty commercial. This one is a lot more oriented to services and advice," she said. "I don't know of anything like it anywhere, which is what attracted us to be part of it." More

"Look, Ma, No Plan!"; Elder Care Expo is Place to Start a Family Conversation About Aging

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Steve Dahlberg
Elder Care Expos, LLC
info@choosingeldercare.com
(651) 204-0266

St. Paul, Minn., May 6, 2008 -- No one likes to talk about elder care. Almost no one plans enough for getting older. And no one wants aging to happen to them. During Mother's Day weekend, Minnesotans will have the opportunity to give mom (and dad) the best gift ever -- a conversation about aging. A gift that doesn't wilt.

Elder Care Expo 2008 provides to the more than half-million Minnesota caregivers the elder care resources, answers and solutions they need to get started -- all in one place. The Expo is May 9 and 10, 2008, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day in the Minnesota State Fairgrounds Education Building in St. Paul, Minn.
http://www.choosingeldercare.com/

"Most people's introduction to the world of elder care happens unexpectedly, when they are in crisis mode and something bad happens to them or to a loved one," says Elder Care Expo Co-Founder Julie Groshens. "The purpose of Elder Care Expo is to help people plan ahead and to be less reactionary in their approach to elder care.

"We also link the resources and the answers that people who are grappling with these issues right now are frantic to find."

The Expo brings together under one roof the government agencies, nonprofits and private organizations that can help people make better caregiving choices. Elder Care Expo attendees will have access to more than 90 educational seminars on topics such as reverse mortgages, avoiding scams, choosing the right insurance and healthcare, reporting elder abuse, identifying housing options, exploring Medicare Parts A, B, C and D, and many more important topics. Attendees also can receive a free, elder care planning consultation from county and state aging experts.

The Expo features more than 100 companies, nonprofits and government organizations that will showcase products and services that can help people stay independent and improve their quality of life. These exhibitors will be on site to personally discuss ways to help seniors care for themselves and their families now, and to help boomers care for their parents and plan for their own futures.

"We all have an elder care story to tell," says Groshens. "Elder Care Expo will provide the knowledge and tools that Minnesotans need to ensure that their elder care story unfolds in the best possible way."

Find more information about the Expo by visiting http://www.choosingeldercare.com/ or by calling (651) 204-0266. Expo tickets are $8 per person and can be purchased online or at the door.

Elder Care Expo Sponsors include Augustana Care Corporation, Presbyterian Homes and Services, Humana, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, Accra Care Inc., and WCCO Radio. Supporting Partners include Minnesota Senior Federation, Minnesota Adult Day Care Service Association, At Home Solutions, ElderCare Rights Alliance, Minnesota Creative Arts and Aging Network, Vital Aging Network, and the University of Minnesota Center on Aging.

About Elder Care Expo:
Elder Care Expo 2008 is produced by a team with more than 50 years of experience in consumer events, educational programming and gerontology. In addition, they have personally been involved with hospice volunteer work and caregiving to older family members, while raising children. Today, one in five adults is responsible for managing some aspect of the finances and/or healthcare of a family member who is 65 or older, and approximately 80 percent of home-care services are provided by family caregivers. Elder Care Expo is Minnesota's first educational event designed to bring together government agencies, nonprofits and private organizations under one roof and with one simple goal: helping baby boomers, their parents and seniors plan for and find solutions for their elder care challenges. Elder Care Expos, LLC, also publishes the Choosing Elder Care blog at:
http://www.choosingeldercare.com/blog

Elder Care Expo Featured Today on Twin Cities Live

[6 May 2008 - Elder Care Expos, LLC] Elder Care Expo Community Partnerships Manager Joe Groshens was a guest today on KSTP's "Twin Cities Live" TV show in St. Paul/Minneapolis. He shared highlights about what people can find at the Expo, how the Expo was inspired by his own family's story, and technology that people will find at the Expo that allows people to stay more independent. Watch the video clip online and join us May 9 and 10 at the Education Building of the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in St. Paul, Minn.

Working Together for Strong, Healthy and Supportive Communities

[1 May 2008 - U.S. Administration on Aging eNews] Older Americans Month Message from Josefina G. Carbonell ... We celebrate older Americans and their families by praising their contributions to our country. We also celebrate and express our gratitude to the countless number of dedicated health and human service professionals, scientists and volunteers that work with or on behalf of elders in communities across the country every day.

As a nation we are beginning to experience in "real time" the aging of our population with the first wave of Baby Boomers beginning to turn 65 now and building the ranks of the 78 million Baby Boomers into the future. We have a unique opportunity to address these changing demographics and some of the solutions are right in front of us.

We need to listen to what older consumers and their families are telling us. We know that the overwhelming preference of the American people is to remain at home for as long as possible and to have the ability to choose where they live as they age. Making long-term care more person-centered and more responsive to the needs and preferences of the individual consumer has been at the top of my agenda. Together with our aging network, we have developed a strategy to advance meaningful and important changes in health and long-term care, while reducing fiscal pressures on our nation and embedded those principles in the reauthorized Older Americans Act (OAA).

The national aging services network, comprised of State, tribal and area agencies on aging, as well as thousands of community service providers, caregivers and volunteers, know this and have used the OAA as a foundation for building community-based long term care supports that appeal to the unique needs and preferences of older Americans. But there is still more that needs to be done.

In fulfilling the President's commitment to providing Americans enhanced consumer choice and the freedom to live independently; AoA together with our U.S. Department of Health and Human Services colleagues have been working hard to develop initiatives advancing consumer education, wellness and nursing home diversion.

I am so pleased that States, area agencies on aging and other community-based organizations are leading the way by developing integrated strategies that are cost effectively keeping people in their homes and communities where they will want to be. These critical building blocks include the establishment of single points of entry for consumers to learn about and access existing long-term care options and support services in the community; the development of evidence-based disease prevention and health promotion tools and programs to reduce the risk of chronic disease and disability; and providing more options and choices to help people remain at home through an array of home-based care supports that promote independence and dignity for those who are at high risk of nursing home placement. We need to build upon and improve the quality of the core programs under the OAA and the successes of the aging network and work together to strengthen the home and community-based care services infrastructure that is already in place across our country. It is absolutely critical that we move quickly to give consumers better choices and control as well as encourage and promote the principles of local flexibility and accountability.

I am very excited about what the future holds. I am confident that this aging network will continue to carry out its mandate for older Americans and will continue to keeps its sights on the needs and preferences of the citizens we are entrusted to serve.

We urge people of all ages to celebrate Older Americans Month. Ensure that every older person in this great country is treated with dignity and respect to enjoy a healthy and rewarding future. Discuss with your own family and friends your long term aspirations. States and area agencies should celebrate the richness of your elder population. Encourage the public and private sectors to invest in market-based approaches to meet the needs of the graying consumers. Continue to expand coalitions and partnerships to strengthen your community's response to the Aging of America.

Technology Can Make Caregiving Easier; Find Out More at Elder Care Expo 2008

[30 April 2008 - Elder Care Expos, LLC] For many years, the telephone was about the only technology that supported families in caring for elderly parents. These days, cutting-edge technologies – that use the Internet, telephones, TVs, cameras, sensors and more – help keep people safe on a 24-hour basis with automatic contact with family and medical staff.

Elder Care Expo 2008 ( http://www.ChoosingElderCare.com ) will feature technologies that can help improve the quality of later life by keeping people more independent and in their homes longer. The Expo will be held May 9 and 10, 2008, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day in the Minnesota State Fairgrounds Education Building in St. Paul, Minn.

Some of the more than 90 educational seminars and more than 100 exhibitors will be showcasing technologies such as monitoring sensors, assistive listening devices, brain-based memory software and more.

Sensors are one example of technology being used within spaces, such as homes, to give elders options for living with independence, autonomy and dignity – without forgoing safety and security.

"Caregivers gain peace of mind knowing their loved one will quickly have a responder if they are in need of assistance," says Sue Gronemeyer, director of operations for Sengistix, LLC, which is an Elder Care Expo exhibitor that provides wireless sensing technology.

Multiple sensors can send activities-of-daily-living reports and safety alerts in real-time via the monitoring company to family, staff or support persons. The sensor system can call automatically when the individual needs assistance, even if they cannot call, from anywhere in the residence. Sensors can monitor whether a person gets out of bed, opens the refrigerator for a meal, gets enough movement during the day, takes medication and more.

Other technologies are placed on the individual person, such as life-line monitors that can be used to contact help if a person falls or is having an immediate medical problem. Other devices help people who have hearing loss.

"If you or a family member has a hearing loss, you know that it can be more than a minor annoyance," says Lori Foss, marketing director, Harris Communications. "Having to continually repeat what you are saying can be frustrating. In addition, those with hearing loss often become isolated from friends and family. But there are many different technologies that can improve the quality of life for the person with hearing loss."

An assistive listening device (ALD) can provide hearing assistance for those with a hearing loss, especially for someone without a hearing aid or when a hearing aid is not enough. ALDs include tools such as an amplified telephone, infrared system, FM system, personal amplification system, or loud clock. People can try out these different devices at Harris Communications' booth during Elder Care Expo.

Elder Care Expo will help Minnesota baby boomers, their parents and seniors make better decisions about elder care choices. Find more information about the Expo by visiting http://www.ChoosingElderCare.com or by calling (651) 204-0266. Expo tickets are $8 per person and can be purchased online or at the door.

Elder Care Expo Sponsors include: Augustana Care Corporation, Presbyterian Homes and Services, Humana, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, Accra Care Inc., and WCCO Radio. Supporting Partners include Minnesota Senior Federation, Minnesota Adult Day Care Service Association, At Home Solutions, ElderCare Rights Alliance, Minnesota Creative Arts and Aging Network, Vital Aging Network, and the University of Minnesota Center on Aging.

About Elder Care Expo:
Elder Care Expo 2008 is produced by a team with more than 50 years of experience in consumer events, educational programming and gerontology. In addition, they have personally been involved with hospice volunteer work and caregiving to older family members, while raising children. Today, one in five adults is responsible for managing some aspect of the finances and/or healthcare of a family member who is 65 or older, and approximately 80 percent of home-care services are provided by family caregivers. Elder Care Expo is Minnesota's first educational event designed to bring together government agencies, nonprofits and private organizations under one roof and with one simple goal: helping baby boomers, their parents and seniors plan for and find solutions for their elder care challenges. Elder Care Expos, LLC, also publishes the Choosing Elder Care blog at:
http://www.choosingeldercare.com/blog

Elder Care Expo Attendees to Receive Free "Caregiving Choices" Guide from Minnesota Senior Federation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

St. Paul, Minn., April 24, 2008 -- The Minnesota Senior Federation has just released its "Caregiving Choices: A Minnesota Elder Care Resource Guide" and has partnered with Elder Care Expo 2008 to provide a free copy of this publication to everyone who attends the Expo.

Elder Care Expo 2008 will be held May 9 and 10, 2008, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day in the Minnesota State Fairgrounds Education Building in St. Paul, Minn. The Expo will help Minnesota baby boomers, their parents and seniors make better decisions about elder care choices. More information is available at:
http://www.choosingeldercare.com/

"Caregiving Choices" provides information about caregiving at home, in nursing homes, at adult day-care service centers and in assisted-living and senior housing. It also includes a handy directory of crucial caregiving resources.

Today, one in five adults is responsible for managing some aspect of finances and/or healthcare of a family member who is 65 or older, and approximately 80 percent of home-care services are provided by family caregivers. Non-professional caregivers are a critical part of the healthcare system in the United States. In Minnesota, family members provide 95 percent of all caregiving for older adults and there are more than a half-million caregivers in the state.

The Senior Federation Health Plan Information Center helps caregivers help their loved ones. In addition to "Caregiving Choices," the Senior Federation also publishes "Health Care Choices for Minnesotans on Medicare," which provides even more resources related to healthcare questions.

Elder Care Expo 2008 will provide face-to-face answers to many questions that boomers have about planning for their own futures, as well as challenges they face in caring for an aging parent. In addition, seniors can find products and services to support their own care now, as well as for their spouses.

"Everyone has a caregiving story to tell," says Elder Care Expos Co-Founder Julie Groshens. "We want to help people make sure their story unfolds in the best possible way by finding the resources they need to make better decisions. People don't have to go it alone. Elder Care Expo 2008 offers resources, answers, solutions in one place, under one roof. Plus, they can go home with the 'Caregiving Choices' guide to help them in the future."

Find more information about Elder Care Expo 2008, the more than 100 exhibitors, and more than 90 seminars by visiting http://www.choosingeldercare.com/ or by calling (651) 204-0266. Expo tickets are $8 per person and can be purchased online or at the door.

Elder Care Expo 2008 Sponsors include Augustana Care Corporation, Presbyterian Homes and Services, Humana, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, Accra Care Inc., and WCCO Radio. Supporting Partners include Minnesota Senior Federation, Minnesota Adult Day Care Service Association, At Home Solutions, ElderCare Rights Alliance, Minnesota Creative Arts and Aging Network, Vital Aging Network, and the University of Minnesota Center on Aging.

About Elder Care Expo:
Elder Care Expo 2008 is produced by a team with more than 50 years of experience in consumer events, educational programming and gerontology. In addition, they have personally been involved with hospice volunteer work and caregiving to older family members, while raising children. Today, one in five adults is responsible for managing some aspect of the
finances and/or healthcare of a family member who is 65 or older, and approximately 80 percent of home-care services are provided by family caregivers. Elder Care Expo is Minnesota's first educational event designed to bring together government agencies, nonprofits and private organizations under one roof and with one simple goal: helping baby boomers, their parents and seniors plan for and find solutions for their elder care challenges. Elder Care Expos, LLC, also publishes the Choosing Elder Care blog at:
http://www.choosingeldercare.com/blog

For More Information, Contact:
Steve Dahlberg
Elder Care Expos, LLC
info@choosingeldercare.com
(651) 204-0266

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Elder Care Expo 2008 to Help Minnesotans Make Better Healthcare Decisions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Steve Dahlberg
Elder Care Expos, LLC
info@choosingeldercare.com
(651) 204-0266

St. Paul, Minn., April 16, 2008 -- The U.S. Administration on Aging announced that today is National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD). This nationwide initiative is designed to raise public awareness of the need to plan ahead for healthcare decisions and to encourage the use of advance directives to communicate important healthcare decisions.

Elder Care Expo 2008 will help Minnesota baby boomers, their parents and seniors begin to explore these questions - and more - during the expo, which will be held May 9 and 10, 2008, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day in the Minnesota State Fairgrounds Education Building in St. Paul, Minn.

Making end of life decisions can be an extremely difficult challenge. It is an important responsibility that people should be willing to assume for their own sake and the sake of their loved ones. It is estimated that only about 20 percent of people in the United States have executed an advance directive. Moreover, it is estimated that less than 50 percent of severely or terminally ill patients have an advance directive.

The Administration on Aging wants to raise public awareness about the need for advance planning and help as many people as possible get the information they need to make choices and decisions that will ensure their dignity and care at the end of life. More information about NHDD is available online:
http://www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org/Welcome.htm

Find more information about Elder Care Expo 2008, the exhibitors, and more than 90 seminars by visiting http://www.ChoosingElderCare.com or by calling (651) 204-0266. Expo tickets are $8 per person and can be purchased online or at the door.

Elder Care Expo 2008 Sponsors include Augustana Care Corporation, Presbyterian Homes and Services, Humana, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, Accra Care Inc., and WCCO Radio. Supporting Partners include Minnesota Senior Federation, Minnesota Adult Day Care Service Association, At Home Solutions, ElderCare Rights Alliance, and Minnesota Creative Arts and Aging Network.

NHDD is a collaborative effort of national, state and community organizations committed to ensuring that all adults with decision-making capacity in the United States have the information and opportunity to communicate and document their healthcare decisions.

About Elder Care Expo: Elder Care Expo 2008 is produced by a team with more than 50 years of experience in consumer events, educational programming and gerontology. In addition, they have personally been involved with hospice volunteer work and caregiving to older family members, while raising children. Today, one in five adults is responsible for managing some aspect of the finances and/or healthcare of a family member who is 65 or older, and approximately 80 percent of home-care services are provided by family caregivers. Elder Care Expo is Minnesota's first educational event designed to bring together government agencies, nonprofits and private organizations under one roof and with one simple goal: helping baby boomers, their parents and seniors plan for and find solutions for their elder care challenges. Elder Care Expos, LLC, also publishes the Choosing Elder Care blog at:http://www.choosingeldercare.com/blog

Caregiving Employees Need Support; Elder Care Expo 2008 Offers Solutions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

St. Paul, Minn., March 6, 2008 -- Caregiving not only affects individuals and their families, but also the organizations for which the caregivers work. United States businesses lose up to $33.6 billion per year in productivity from caregivers who take time from work responsibilities, according to the 2007 "MetLife Caregiving Costs Study." This translates to an average cost of $2,110 per year per employee who is caring for a loved one.

Elder Care Expo 2008 is designed to help the half-million caregivers in Minnesota make more-informed care choices. The expo will be held May 9 and 10, 2008, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day in the Education Building, Minnesota State Fairgrounds, St. Paul, Minn.

"Among our different audiences, we are encouraging Minnesota companies and organizations to send their employees to Elder Care Expo," says Elder Care Expo Co-founder Julie Groshens. "Employees who are caring for a dependent family member spend lots of time trying to find answers on their own, which takes a mental and physical toll on them personally and creates enormous productivity losses to the organization. But companies that help their employees deal with these caregiving challenges can benefit greatly."

AARP reports that "companies reap a $3 to $14 return on every $1 they spend on elder care benefits," adding that both employers and employees benefit when workers have options that make caregiving more manageable.

Elder care responsibilities don't discriminate between women and men. Though women are traditionally associated with caregiving, men make up 45 percent of today's working caregivers, according to AARP.

In addition, many of these employees are parents raising children while simultaneously caring for an older family member -- making these caregivers the so-called "Sandwich Generation." AARP says that while 30 percent of employees have caregiving responsibilities, 40 percent of them also have children at home.

Elder Care Expo 2008 can help alleviate some of the stress associated with making care choices. The expo will showcase leading Minnesota vendors that provide products and services to help people make better elder care decisions. Sponsors include Augustana Care Corporation, BlueCross BlueShield of Minnesota, Presbyterian Homes and Services, ACCRA Care Corp, Humana, and WCCO Radio.

Elder Care Expo 2008 features trusted resources about aging from the State of Minnesota, the county agencies, community aging organizations and elder care experts. Expo participants can receive a free long-term care consultation and leave with a plan.

More than 90 information-packed, educational sessions will include topics such as elder care basics; understanding insurance, financial and legal issues; navigating home healthcare issues; identifying and choosing the right housing; exploring Medicare Part D choices; and many other topics.

Find more information about attending, sponsoring or exhibiting at Elder Care Expo 2008 by visiting http://www.choosingeldercare.com or by calling (651) 204-0266. Expo tickets are $8 per person and can be purchased online or at the door.

About Elder Care Expo:
Elder Care Expo 2008 is produced by a team with more than 50 years of experience in consumer events, educational programming and gerontology. In addition, they have personally been involved with hospice volunteer work and caregiving to older family members, while raising children. Today, one in five adults is responsible for managing some aspect of the finances and/or healthcare of a family member who is 65 or older, and approximately 80 percent of home-care services are provided by family caregivers. Elder Care Expo is Minnesota's first educational event designed to bring together government agencies, nonprofits and private organizations under one roof and with one simple goal: helping baby boomers, their parents and seniors plan for and find solutions for their elder care challenges. Elder Care Expos, LLC, also publishes the Choosing Elder Care blog at http://www.choosingeldercare.com/blog .

Contact:
Steve Dahlberg
Elder Care Expos, LLC
info@choosingeldercare.com
(651) 204-0266

Civic Ventures' Encore Profiles Elder Care Expo Founder

[25 February 2008 - Encore] ELDER CARE ANGUISH: Trying Experience Turns Into Second Career ... Frustration with patching together care for her aging mother prompted one baby boomer to start a second job bringing together elder-care resources in one venue. Julie Groshens, 52, of St. Paul, Minn., was bewildered when the elaborate support system she helped set up for her elderly mother failed. Although Groshens has 10 siblings to help as caretakers and a doctor, lawyer and geriatric social worker in the family, her mother broke her hip three times, had to move several times, suffered medical problems and experienced sudden memory loss. More

Creativity and Aging White Paper Released by Americans for the Arts; Authored by Elder Care Expo Co-Founder

[20 February 2008 - Americans for the Arts] Americans for the Arts has just released a white paper on creativity and aging, "Think and Be Heard: Creativity, Aging and Community Engagement" (PDF). Elder Care Expos Partner Steven Dahlberg wrote this report as a follow up to the 2007 National Arts Forum Series, which is supported by the MetLife Foundation. "Arts and aging is neither just about art, nor just about aging. Rather, it is about creativity and positive engagement -- that is, creativity as both a goal and a process for shaping the self and society. ... It is through such creative thinking and self-expression that people connect with others and shape the world. Such a work of art is a lifelong process," writes Dahlberg. Please distribute and share this white paper -- and share your feedback online about this topic, as well.

Minnesota Boomer Launches Elder Care Event to Help Others Find Answers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Steve Dahlberg
Elder Care Expos, LLC
info@choosingeldercare.com
(651) 204-0266

Overwhelmed by Trying to Care for Aging Parents, Minnesota Boomer Launches Elder Care Event to Help Others

St. Paul, Minn., February 21, 2008 -- Good intentions only get baby boomers so far in trying to care for their aging parents. No matter how hard one tries to get the best care possible for a loved one, it's still easy to get overwhelmed, frustrated, angry and disappointed in the process.

One Minnesota baby boomer seemed to have an ideal combination of resources to care for her aging mother -- 10 siblings as caretakers; a doctor, a lawyer and a geriatric social worker in the family; and multiple housing options from which to choose. Even with these resources and a carefully considered plan, this was not enough. Her mother experienced three broken hips (including two in one week), staffing issues that added to medical problems, continual shifts in housing to address changing care needs, medication complications, and sudden memory problems. The greatest frustrations and struggles though, have resulted from the bureaucracy of the elder care system, which culminated in a letter sent from the government telling the family members their mother was dead (she wasn't).

Julie Groshens wondered how families get through the maze of elder care options without a social-worker sibling to guide them. Nearly everyday, she heard similar stories from colleagues, friends and family. So Groshens decided to form Elder Care Expos, LLC, a Minnesota-based company that produces elder-care resource events for the public.

On May 9 and 10, Groshens and her two partners will launch the Elder Care Expo 2008 in St. Paul, Minn. The expo will be held in the Education Building at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.

"Elder Care Expo brings together many of the answers people like us are searching for -- in one place," says Groshens. "This kind of event is desperately needed. We hear stories everyday from people as young as twenty-something who are caring for aging and sick parents. Yet they feel like they are alone in facing these challenges and are stressed out about the endless options. They just don't know where to start finding help.

"Tickets are only $8 per person for attending the expo and more than 90 educational sessions. We have deliberately kept the ticket price low so that those struggling with these issues can get the help they need in an affordable and accessible way," says Groshens.

Nationally, nearly 34 million caregivers provide help to persons age 50 and older. Elder Care Expo 2008 is designed to help the more than half-million Minnesota caregivers make more-informed care choices. "We are really encouraging family members to bring at least one other person with them, even a friend," says Groshens. "Having someone else to share ideas with creates a stronger support network. Plus, it gets us boomers talking about these questions for our own future."

The expo will showcase leading Minnesota vendors that provide products and services to help people make better elder care decisions. Current sponsors include Augustana Care Corporation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota and ACCRA Care Corp. As the Official Radio Sponsor, WCCO Radio will help Minnesotans explore the key challenges they are facing related to elder care.

Elder Care Expo 2008 features trusted resources about aging from the State of Minnesota, county agencies, community aging organizations and elder care experts. More than 90 information-packed educational sessions will focus on topics such as elder care basics; understanding insurance, financial and legal issues; navigating home healthcare issues; identifying and choosing the right housing; exploring Medicare Part D choices; and many other important issues. In addition, participants can receive a free long-term care consultation and leave the expo with a plan.

Find more information about attending, sponsoring or exhibiting at Elder Care Expo 2008 by visiting http://www.choosingeldercare.com/ or by calling (651) 204-0266. Expo tickets are $8 per person and can be purchased online or at the door.

About Elder Care Expo:
Elder Care Expo 2008 is produced by a team with more than 50 years of experience in consumer events, educational programming and gerontology. In addition, they have personally been involved with hospice volunteer work and caregiving to older family members, while raising children. Today, one in five adults is responsible for managing some aspect of the finances and/or healthcare of a family member who is 65 or older, and approximately 80 percent of home-care services are provided by family caregivers. Elder Care Expo is Minnesota's first-ever educational event designed to bring together government agencies, nonprofits and private organizations under one roof and with one simple goal: helping baby boomers, their parents and seniors plan for and find solutions for their elder care challenges. Elder Care Expos, LLC, also publishes the Choosing Elder Care blog at http://www.choosingeldercare.com/blog .

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Retention Strategies: How Employers Can Support Working Caregivers

[AARP] Addressing caregiver support issues in the workplace is not just a benevolent response; it's smart business. It is reported that companies reap a $3-$14 return on every $1 they spend on eldercare benefits. Today's Baby Boomers may well be called "the Eldercare Generation." As more employees remain in the labor force and their parents live longer, businesses have begun stepping up to help overwhelmed workers better balance their professional and family responsibilities. Companies are finding eldercare help to be timely "insurance." That is because both employers and employees benefit when workers have options that make caregiving more manageable. No wonder eldercare benefits and flexible work arrangements are fast becoming a potent recruiting and retention tool. More