It may be hard for senior citizens to feel comfortable asking for help when they need it or to know what questions they should ask.
Therefore, it’s important to give seniors the opportunity to get an idea of the possibilities they may be interested in, said Michele Dillon, president of Lawrence Area Partners in Aging.
The Lawrence Area Partners in Aging will host its 16th annual Resource Fair for Seniors from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 19 at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence.
The fair will include about 45 businesses and organizations. There will be home help workers, financial planners, care managers, dementia resources and more.
The event is designed to educate individuals about resources they may need now or in the future. The resource fair is a “one-stop shop” for all the contacts seniors may need as they go through the aging process, Dillon said.
“It is important for two reasons. First of all, it is always great to have these resources for future reference, not exactly when you need them,” Dillon said. “It’s a great fair because there are so many resources in one location.”
It may be hard for seniors to feel comfortable asking for help when they need it or to know what questions they should ask, Dillon said. It is a good opportunity for seniors to just get an idea of possibilities that they may be interested in.
“You don’t want to wait until you need it to learn about it,” said Lori Yocum, the organization’s vice president and owner of A Helping Hand Home Care. “The goal is mostly just to educate individuals, not just the Lawrence community but all surrounding communities, about the resources available for seniors.”
Many businesses, including A Helping Hand Home Care, travel to Eudora and other surrounding areas to work with seniors.
Senior Foundation President Ruth Hughs feels all seniors will age more successfully if they become well-equipped with potential resources now.
“Information is power,” Hughs said. “It’s important for families of seniors to know what’s available so I would highly recommend everyone to participate.”
With COVID-19 stopping last year’s fair, Dillon and Yocum feel the event is even more vital to bring attention to the important options seniors have that they may not know about.
“I think, especially with COVID, we all used to be able to network a lot more and now that we are kind of getting back out there you can really see what businesses are here and reconnect again,” Yocum said.
Each vendor will have a giveaway and door prizes that participants can receive.
The event is free and open to the public. Seniors are encouraged to bring family members to learn about resources. People interested in going do not need to register or sign up before attending. The number of participants is expected to range from 500 to 600 people.
Some organizations in attendance include Medicalodges of Eudora, CarePatrol of Northeast Kansas, Healthcare Solutions, Kansas Advocates for Better Care, Dementia 360 and Meals on Wheels.
Lawrence Area Partners in Aging is a nonprofit organization that works to get aging professionals together to talk about what is new in the world of aging. They work to strengthen the ties and communication between those who support, advocate and care for seniors.
Questions about the event can be answered by email at lawrenceareapartnersinaging@gmail.com or by phone at 785-592-1848.
Note: This article was republished with permission from the Eudora Times. See more from the Eudora Times at this link; support their publication by making a donation at this link.
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