Bands unite, from a distance, under Mike Walker, “Music Man” of Oroville

new program in Ventura for 18 months, and looking to return to Northern California, she applied for the job. Three months later, she was back in Chico.

As luck would have it, Maggie had taken a job at around the same time as a caregiver advocate with Golden Umbrella, an organization that is now part of Dignity Health Connected Living. The program, and Maggie’s job, were eventually transferred over to Passages of Butte County, and it was during this time that she and Becky met. One, a caregiver advocate, and the other, an advocate for those in need of care, the two quickly learned they were the perfect match. “We traveled everywhere together!” Maggie mentioned with fond recollection. “In the years before COVID, we traveled throughout the rural and frontier areas of Northern California, doing presentations and helping everyone understand what was available to them. We’ve always called it ‘The Becky and Maggie Show.’ We’ve traveled to Bieber, Fall River Mills, Susanville, Alturas, Hayfork, Weaverville, Plumas County—you name it, and we’ve traveled there. We work really well together. Becky is so brilliant, and she works so well with people. She has so much information that people really need, and through our combined knowledge, we’ve been able to connect with so many people.”

“It’s been a great partnership working with Maggie and the Caregiver Resource Center.” Becky mused, “I’ve really enjoyed working with her! Throughout my time here, dating back to when I was hired, there’s always been someone from the Caregiver Resource Center around, whether on our board of directors or working in partnership with us. We have a long and wonderful history with them! The Alzheimer’s Association and Passages have worked together for over 20 years now, and Maggie and I have worked with each other for 17 of those years.”

Over those years, Maggie and Becky have provided group presentations, face-toface, throughout the Northstate. The two have also worked together on large-group events aimed at educating caregivers and the community that supports both caregivers and those they care for. It hasn’t been an easy mission, but it’s certainly one they’re both proud to be part of. The largest of these events, aimed at increasing awareness for Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia, and the needs of caregivers, takes place each year in April. The event focuses on providing the tools caregivers will need, not only to properly care for those in their charge, but to effectively communicate with them as well. This year will be the same, as they will once again hold this event in April, although the platform will be different.

“In the past, these events and seminars were in-person and have always been incredibly effective at educating the community. This year, due to the pandemic, we’re having to take the show online.” Maggie enthused, “It will be a different platform than we’ve used in the past, but the format will be the same. More importantly, though it won’t be in-person as it has been in the past, having it online means it will be far more accessible to those who aren’t within a short drive of Chico.” This is a significant silver lining.

“Caregivers have a tendency not to care for themselves.” Maggie continued, “They tend to spend all 24 hours paying attention to the person in their care that has dementia. Most do it for some time before they even realize they’re a caregiver. 40-60% of people caring for someone with dementia will pass away before the person they are caring for, and to me, that’s always been a startling statistic. It is an incredibly taxing job to take care of someone else who has lost the ability to care for themselves. This event helps normalize things a bit and always brings in speakers with significant experience in the field of caregiving who can illuminate the situation for those who are just starting or find themselves lost, years into the experience.”

This year’s online event is titled, “Conversations About Dementia & Driver Safety for the Aging Driver.” The program consists of two parts. The first, “Dementia Conversations,” is an educational workshop that covers three main areas of primary concern to family members of those needing care: driving, doctors’ visits, and legal & financial planning. These tend to be the three biggest areas families with a member who has dementia or Alzheimer's Disease really struggle with. The workshop aims to provide caregivers and support staff with the tools and ability to start having the needed conversations with a family member early on, making the transition as easy as possible. The second part of the program focuses exclusively on driving. “The ability to get in our car and go someplace is, in itself, a sense of independence.” Becky notes, “When conversations about not being able to drive anymore are had, it’s often very difficult for an aging family member to accept. Families really struggle with how to talk about it. A lot of tools for families and caregivers will be available in this workshop, including a presentation by a DMV Senior Driving ombudsman who will talk about the evaluation of Alzheimer’s Disease, and other cognitive and physical impairments, on driving and driver’s license renewal. We’ll also bridge how to have the conversation that someone shouldn’t be driving if they aren’t fit for it.”

The event is absolutely free and open to anyone in the general public who wants to learn more about caregiving or might be concerned about a family member. Professionals, including CNAs and staff from assisted living facilities are also encouraged to attend as the information presented directly pertains to their day-to-day jobs.

As noted, the event will be taking place online this year. It will be a webinar held on Wednesday, April 7th from 10am-noon, and those interested in attending can RSVP by calling 1-800-272-3900 or visiting tinyurl.com/DemConv040721

As both Maggie and Becky agree, these types of seminars are invaluable not just for those currently caring for another, but for anyone, as we’ll all eventually find ourselves caring for an aging family member or friend. The sooner we are all trained on how to effectively handle such a situation, the more effective we can be in properly caring for those who mean the most to us.

We couldn’t be more thankful for the work Maggie and Becky are doing in our community to help those in need. We encourage you to take them up on their offer by visiting their website at tinyurl.com/DemConv040721 or calling 1-800-272-3900 to attend this wonderful and free webinar. As so many are sure to agree, possessing the knowledge of how to care for another is certainly half the battle.