We celebrated National Caregivers Day with Kensington Park Senior Living and Hilarity for Charity’s third annual CareCon.
CareCon is a free virtual event created to inspire and empower caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia through support, education, and community. It also brings laughter and light to caregiving and Alzheimer’s, to help caregivers realize that there is a fun, supportive community for them.
In case you missed it, click here to watch playlist of the entire event! It’s sure to educate, inspire and entertain caregivers who support loved ones with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
What is Hilarity for Charity’s CareCon?
Hilarity for Charity is a nonprofit organization created by Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen.
HFC’s mission is to care for families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease, activate the next generation of Alzheimer’s advocates, and be a leader in brain health research and education.
Its annual CareCon event welcomes all family caregivers to participate in a safe space where they can feel celebrated and supported.
The event includes a panel of celebrity advocates and expert speakers who will share their experiences with Alzheimer’s and caregiving, as well as offer tools and information to support those in attendance with their unique caregiver journeys.
This year, Kensington Senior Living presented HFC’s Scotty Caregiver Award, which recognizes an unpaid dementia caregiver.
How is Kensington Park Senior Living involved in CareCon?
Kensington Park Senior Living, as part of the Kensington Senior Living community, is a proud partner of HFC’s CareCon events. We sponsor the Scotty Award as we continue to care for others and be a resource for caregivers and their senior loved ones.
Kensington Park is an independent living, assisted living, and memory care community dedicated to the highest levels of care and support.
We’re passionate about remaining aware and up-to-date on the latest Alzheimer’s and dementia research and care options, and we extend these resources to the family caregivers of our residents as well as caregivers within our larger Kensington community.
What is the Scotty Caregiver Award?
The Scotty Caregiver Award is sponsored and presented by Kensington Senior Living.
The award was named in honor of Lauren Miller Rogen’s father, Scott Miller, who served as a loving caregiver for his late wife, Adele.
The award honors an unpaid dementia caregiver who is nominated by a friend, family member, or themselves.
The recipient receives one of HFC’s Recharge Respite Grants, which provides 50 hours of professional in-home respite care or the cash equivalent.
A panel of HFC judges will select one caregiver based on the following characteristics:
- Loving support they provide(d) during a challenging time
- Patience and perseverance they demonstrate(d)
- Creativity they exhibit(ed)
The Scotty Caregiver Award represents all caregivers — and is not a recognition of the best or hardest working caregiver.
Instead, it’s a symbol of recognition for all family caregivers and their experiences caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
Kensington Senior Living is proud to present the award and to serve as a sponsor for CareCon, in our promise to love and care for your family as we do our own. We nominated a total of seven outstanding caregivers from each of our communities for this award.
Our community offers caregiver education and support through our numerous events, resources, and our loving team members.
What types of caregiver support will be discussed during the event?
According to HFC, family caregivers of those with dementia endure significant emotional, financial, and physical difficulties.
The organization’s goal is to “transform the caregiving experience” for young people and families impacted by Alzheimer’s, helping them to thrive.
During the CareCon event, experts and celebrity panelists, such as Wayne Brady and Joey McIntyre, shared their experiences and offer caregiver tips and advice to avoid burnout and boost health and well-being.
Kensington Park Senior Living encourages the caregivers in our community to implement the following self-care practices in their lives:
- Ask for help from family and friends
- Eat a nutritious, balanced diet
- Spend time with friends and family
- Participate in hobbies and activities you enjoy
- Engage in regular physical activity
- Practice prayer, meditation, or another form of spiritual practice
- Get enough sleep
- Create a care plan for your loved one
The purpose of caregiver self-care is to make time for your basic care needs as well as the things you enjoy.
Caregivers tend to neglect their own care needs when they’re caring for a loved one, especially if that person has Alzheimer’s or dementia. Caring for the caregiver ensures that you have the support you need to properly care for another person.
CareCon is an opportunity for family caregivers to feel the love and support they so freely give to others.
How does Kensington Park Senior Living support the caregivers in its community?
Kensington Park Senior Living is passionate about caregiver support and education.
We’re a community of loving caregivers who understand first-hand the challenges involved in caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.
Our Promise is to love and care for your family as we do our own, and this Promise extends to all those in the Kensington Park community—to both our residents and their families.
Kensington Park is a home for seniors who are looking for independent living, assisted living, and three levels of memory care services.
We believe the comfort of familiarity is precious, so our enhanced program enables us to offer care beyond what the traditional assisted living community can deliver. We offer a full spectrum of clinical support, which allows for true “aging in place.”
We provide the following caregiver support resources to our community:
- The Park Bench monthly newsletter
- Kensington Konnect hub
- Blog filled with news, tips, and resources
- Frequent caregiver events with leading industry experts
If you feel it’s time to move your loved one to a community or are interested in learning more about our caregiver support services, please reach out to us today.
Feel free to also check out our suites and floor plans for both our independent living community and our assisted living and memory care communities.
Our enhanced program allows us to offer care beyond what a traditional assisted living community can deliver, including a full spectrum of clinical support for true “aging in place.”
Our two levels of memory care neighborhoods for early to advanced stages of memory loss – Haven and Connections – provide the care each individual needs.
To hear first-hand from the families of our residents, read our testimonials page. We look forward to connecting with you soon and discussing our range of resident services and activities!