Local business experts offer free seminar on caring for aging parents
A group of leading Arlington Heights business professionals is offering another installment of their free Critical Conversations for Aging Parents seminar in October. Members of the group provide guidance on issues related to caring for aging parents. The next seminar will take place Oct. 23, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Waverly Inn, 515 W. Rand Road, in Arlington Heights.
The Critical Conversations panel consists of Deb Torres, founder, Institute for the Cycles of Life; David Hogaboom, financial adviser, Total Clarity Wealth Management; Mildred Palmer, founder and partner, Navigant Law Group; and David Schwabe, The Schwabe Group Compass Real Estate.
“Critical Conversations focuses on the importance of preparing for and engaging in difficult conversations related to planning for the future of your loved ones,” said Torres. “We address topics such as end-of-life decisions, financial planning, estate planning and real estate decisions.”
The group has been leading these discussions throughout the year at various locations. Registration for the October event can be found at criticalconvos.net/registration.
“Planning for late-in-life decisions is not easy for most families,” said Palmer. “We try to remove the fear and hesitancy around the discussions and educate attendees on how to approach these topics within the family setting.”
For his part Hogaboom welcomes the opportunity to breakdown barriers.
“There are so many challenges and obstacles families face, including the emotional weight of approaching topics like this. But we try to explain that being positive and proactive is far easier than the difficulties that arise when no planning has been done and a parent or sibling can no longer care for themselves.”
The Critical Conversations seminar features brief presentations by each of the panelists but is designed to primarily focus on dialogue and a Q&A with the audience.
“It is very likely that many of us will one day have to make decisions about our parents, including moving them from their home of many years to some form of assisted living community,” said Schwabe. “Depending on the needs of the parent, that type of residence can be expensive. You do not want to be unprepared when the time to move comes.”
“These crucial matters require open and thoughtful communication within families,” said Torres. “Our goal is to facilitate those conversations and help guide families to thoughtful and caring decisions.”
The Oct. 23 event will feature an Open House from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., with German treats provided by the Waverly Inn, followed by the panel discussion and Q&A from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
To learn more, visit criticalconvos.net or contact Deb Torres at debtorres622@gmail.com.