Gary Barg, Editor-in-Chief
Next month, I am going to the World of Disney to have fun with my favorite people in the world – my fellow family caregivers. No, we aren’t going to EPCOT or the It’s A Small World ride. Something much more fun. We will be hosting the first in-person Orlando Fearless Caregiver Conference since 2019. There were two virtual Orlando area events between then and now, which were wonderful, but frankly virtual hugs aren’t as fun as real ones.
Late last year, we re-started the in-person event schedule with a handful of conferences, but what better way to enter 2023 with a full schedule starting in Orlando.
As at every event, we invite our caregiver attendees to ask their most pressing questions to our panel of experts (and one another). The panelists include a leading eldercare attorney and Veteran Administration Caregiver coordinator as well as disability, hospice, social service, safety, incontinence, clinical trial and technology experts (whew.) If it is like the 300 events that came before, it should be a great day of love, answers, camaraderie, and caregiver celebration. And of course, like every event since 1998, there is never a cost for family caregivers to attend. There will also be door prizes and valuable raffles including a Joy for All Animatronic Companion Pet.
I intend to start the day with one of the most important aspects of a family caregiver’s life– Humor. Humor will get a caregiver through the most challenging situations. The humorous stories I like to tell all come directly from the lives of our readers and attendees. So, in other words, from your lives. And I am sincerely grateful for every single story and true anecdote that you share through caregiver.com and at the events.
I consider it my job as somewhat of a Caregiving Johnny Appleseed spreading your caregiving wisdom from city to city. I always give the credit where due, (but do take the bows!) It is always amazing how much advice, tips and support that attendees bring home with them, as well as how much wisdom attendees share with one another. In fact, every single caregiver that I have ever met has at least one piece of the caregiving puzzle that another caregiver needs.
So, if you are within singing distance of Mickey and Minnie, we would love to have you join us to help complete that puzzle.
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