Join us for Together in Care, a family caregiver education series.
You’re more than a son, a wife, a neighbor, or a friend. If you’re also managing someone else’s care, you’re a caregiver, and this series is for you.
Together in Care is a free, six-week education series for family and informal caregivers in Van Buren, Berrien, and Cass counties. Join us in person at the Campus for Creative Aging or online, every Tuesday from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, starting Sept. 8. Caregivers who complete the full series will receive a [$XX gift card] as our thank you.
A panel of family caregivers shares what they’ve learned firsthand.
Mike Ford has cared for his wife, Barbara, for more than 26 years following her Young Onset Parkinson’s diagnosis, and is active with the Berrien County Parkinson Support Group.
David Kirshenbaum, a former Region IV board member, has served as primary caregiver for his wife, Elaine, since her dementia diagnosis in 2019 and coordinates her in-home care team.
Sam Krikorian left the workforce to care for his wife, Renee, after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and founded the St. Joseph Men’s Caregiver Support Group.
Charlie Olszewski has managed care for his wife, Marge, since her 2017 Parkinson’s diagnosis, navigating in-home care, memory care, and hospice services along the way.
Faith Dowd, BSN, RN, CCM, CRS-A/D, is a Certified Care Manager with more than 23 years of experience and 19 years at Region IV, most recently as Supervisor of the Information and Assistance Department.
Jolene Walter, Operations Manager, and Hailee Green, Regional Sales Manager, both of Avid Health at Home, bring compassionate, high-quality home healthcare expertise to help clients maintain independence and quality of life at home.
Amanda Drew, Planning & Community Development Manager at Region IV, leads strategic planning and provider network development for aging services across Southwest Michigan.
Cindy Williamson, a retired special education paraprofessional, cared for her mother through six years of Alzheimer’s disease with Region IV’s support and brings practical strategies for organizing caregiving responsibilities.
Julie Schwarz, Education Coordinator at Region IV for 16 years, trains volunteers and facilitates evidence-based programs, including the Dementia Caregiving Series.
Lori Thompson, an elder law attorney and partner at Passaro, Kahne, Taylor, Thompson & Pierangeli, focuses on Medicaid planning, estate planning, and guardianships, and serves as Vice President of Lory’s Place.
For more than 50 years, families across Southwest Michigan have turned to Region IV Area Agency on Aging with their questions about aging, disability, and caregiving. Every conversation starts with what’s important to you, and the people who answer your first call will still be here for the next one.