UMRA CARES

Announcing "Care Guide" Training

Care Guides will train to help members navigate health care decisions

The UMRA Cares Committee and Center on Aging an­nounce on a new service for UMRA members. Last April, Dr. Robert Kane, director of the Center on Aging gave a luncheon talk and led a workshop on Caregiving, giving particular note to systemic problems rampant in our long­term health care. He maintained the health care system in this country does not serve elderly well, and many report that the “services” received were not helpful to them. The Center on Aging is attempting to remedy this in a num­ber of ways, one of which is to help people to think about options and decisions before emergencies arise.

Dr. Kane has offered to train a group of UMRA members to be “Care Guides.” Nine UMRA members have volunteered to learn about decision making and the options and resour­ces available through the Center on Aging. After training is completed, these volunteers will be available to any UMRA member who seeks help about health care decisions.

In a future newsletter, Cares Committee plans to inform members about how to access this new service.

— Earl Nolting, Cares Committee


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