Forum looks at ‘Caregiver Crisis’ hitting Sonoma

Living with dementia isn’t easy, but caregivers have a way of finding the silver lining.

“My wife doesn’t have much long-term memory, but she can enjoy things. She still tells me, ‘I love you,’ and has the world’s greatest smile,” Whitney Evans said of his wife, Jeanette.

Evans founded the nonprofit CarePartners, with a focus on helping knit together a quilt of resources to help families navigate the complicated world of care giving. To inform the community and address the pressing need to recruit additional caregivers in Sonoma Valley, an educational forum is planned at Vintage House on Saturday, Nov. 12.

“Caregiver Crisis Forum” will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at 264 First St. E. in Sonoma. Preceded by coffee at 9:30 a.m., it will include presentations by three speakers, followed by a caregiver panel, brief remarks by community resource representatives and a Q&A session.

The forum is free, but registration is required by calling 707-732-9436 up until the day of the event.

The speakers include Denise Kalos, CEO of AffirmativHealth and former vice president of wellness programs for the Buck Institute for Research on Aging; Dr. Ginger Schechter, chief medical officer for AffirmativHealth and a board-certified internal medicine physician; and the Rev. James Thomas, the priest-in-charge at Trinity Episcopal Church in Sonoma as well as a licensed clinical psychologist.

The caregiver panel will consist of a male and a female spouse caregiver, a caregiver for a parent and possibly others.

Community resource representatives from CarePartners, Vintage House, Alzheimer’s Association and Friends in Sonoma Helping (FISH) will participate.

Evans says he hopes that the forum will help to attract new caregivers in Sonoma Valley, where 10% of families include a member 65 years of age or older.

“The greatest need for families with dementia is to find caregivers,” he said. “The California Master Plan for Aging projects a need for 1 million more caregivers over the next 10 years, and 880,000 of them will be needed to replace current caregivers because some have ‘aged out,’ but mostly because they have ‘burned out’ from the 24-hour stress of caregiving.”

This will be the second forum offered by CarePartners. Soon after it was launched, the group planned to offer quarterly education forums for caregivers.

The first forum took place in October 2019 with 84 caregivers in attendance, but COVID-19 restrictions were mandated shortly thereafter, making it impossible to offer additional live forums. Two CarePartners support groups helped to fill the void by meeting on Zoom, but they relied on word-of-mouth and newsletters for participation.

“This resulted in a holding pattern, but our mission was accomplished with those who joined the CarePartners family,” Evans said. “The easing of COVID restrictions now has reopened the opportunity for group caregiver education, and thus the return of forums.”

He hopes that the upcoming forum will serve to reconnect those who attended the 2019 forum with CarePartners.

“From our base of needy families, we will facilitate referrals,” he said. “From our community resource teammates — FISH, Meals on Wheels and others — we will establish the cross-referral links that empower the growth of the CarePartners family.”

CarePartners also refers families to monthly support groups for caregivers and for both care partners, provided by the Alzheimer’s Association.

In addition, the Council on Aging Services for Seniors offers four hours of quality care twice per week in which those with dementia enjoy socialization, music, art projects and exercise. This also gives caregivers some much-needed “off” time to improve their quality of life.

The CarePartners help line (707-732-9436) is also available to assist caregivers.

Evans created CarePartners after personally experiencing the limited support available to people with dementia and their caregivers.

Soon after his wife was diagnosed with Stage 1 dementia in 2016, Evans discovered that there were no organized resources to help Sonoma Valley residents and their families with dementia and memory loss. So, in January 2019 he founded the initiative — now one of the programs offered by The Village of Sonoma Valley — to improve the quality of life of Valley residents at all stages of aging.

“CarePartners’ mission is to increase awareness and support for Sonoma Valley families living and caring for a member with dementia and other symptoms of memory loss, and to enable caregivers to better care for themselves and their loved one,” he said, noting that the name “CarePartners” refers to the caregiver and the care receiver.

“My dream is that Sonoma Valley will become a dementia-friendly community,” said Evans, who has served as chair of CarePartners’ board since its inception.

CarePartners provides job and internet training for caregivers. Jim Keck, a board member who oversees education and outreach, says that CarePartners plans to offer customized training on a regular basis in 2023. Information about the training and links to other in-person and online training will be shared on the organization’s website.

Keck’s wife, Dorothy, has dementia. He sought out CarePartners to help him care for her, and joined its board this year.

“I felt the need to support others dealing with the challenges of caring for loved ones suffering memory loss,” he said.

Keck noted that CarePartners offers social events, including a happy gathering on Oct. 21 at Sonoma Garden Park.

“Four caregivers and their partners suffering memory loss enjoyed a lunch together,” Keck said. “[Local historian] Craig Griffeath provided entertainment by playing his ukulele during a concert featuring his musical stylings. Rabbi Steve [Finley] and several guests joined the regulars, who meet monthly under the leadership of Ann Colichidas.”

Evans has learned that although he and Jeanette’s lives have been changed by dementia, they have learned to adapt and still enjoy their time together.

“Probably the biggest misunderstanding and stigma associated with people who have dementia is that isn’t possible for them or their caregiver to have a quality life,” he said.

Reach the reporter, Dan Johnson, at daniel.johnson@sonomanews.com.