The Foothills Retired Teachers Association is hosting a one-day conference next week in Okotoks to arm its members and others in the community with information on aging in place.
Association president Joyce Loucks said a recent survey of members found the issue to be top of mind for many, so it was decided to organize a conference to hear from experts in the field.
"The results of the survey came out quite strongly that people want to age in place, which is really no great surprise,” Loucks said.
The conference will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17 at the Foothills Centennial Centre. Registration is $15 for association members and $20 for the public, and can be done via email at [email protected]. Those not pre-registering must pay cash at the door.
Open to both seniors and their family members, the conference will feature presentations from an occupational therapist, nurse, Alberta Health Services representative and more. The sessions aim to give participants what they need to know, and where they can get support, to stay in their homes as they age.
Presenters will go through questionnaires with participants to help them determine what steps they might need to take to continue to live independently.
"It's all about being proactive. I’ve talked to children of retired teachers and I know there are issues,” said Loucks.
The association, which mostly hosts social functions, including a ‘No Bells Brunch’ on the first day of school, initially looked at having speakers come to its events, but ultimately decided it would be better to organize a conference for the entire community.
“You could put on a two-day conference there’s so much information here,” Loucks said.
