The Family Tree Hosts Aging Summit this Summer
The Family Tree Continues Service Expansion to Include the Aging and Elderly Populations
LAFAYETTE, JUNE 3, 2019 - The Family Tree Information, Education, & Counseling Center continues to celebrate 40 fabulous years by adding a new offering to its long list of services. In keeping with its mission to strengthen families in order to build a stronger community, The Family Tree is expanding services to include the aging and elderly population. This branch of The Family Tree will officially kick off with an Aging Summit on Sunday, August 25, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the UL Student Union in the Atchafalaya Ballroom.
According to the Social Security Administration, the life expectancy for men is 84 and for women is 86.5. As families age together and live longer, there are many unknowns and it is important to have a plan. The Aging Summit will focus on assisting families to develop the best options for the care of elderly family members and preservation of their legacies.It will welcome National Speaker, Eldercare Expert, and Author of ‘HOW TO TAKE CARE of OLD PEOPLE WITHOUT LOSING YOUR MARBLES,’ Suzanne Blankenship, who will provide a keynote speech, lead a discussion panel on aging, and offer sound advice and successful tools related to eldercare. Attendance is open to the general public and trained professionals seeking to learn more about this topic can earn general contact hours of continuing education credit. Businesses related to the aging population will be onsite to engage with summit participants and allow for informational networking.
“As our founders raised their families and navigated their marriages, they saw a need for a healthier community and in 1979, planted the seed of The Family Tree to strengthen families by providing education to parents. Now 40 years later, we want to continue serving the families we served then. Instead of being primary care-givers with young children, the families we served in 1979 and subsequent years have different needs now. They are looking to secure their legacies and in many cases their children are now their primary care-givers. As part of ongoing efforts to ensure that all Acadiana community members have access to specialized services, we are excited to add this new branch to The Family Tree and provide an event to connect families with the aging partners here in Acadiana, ” says Marie Collins, Executive Director of The Family Tree.
If you are interested in partnering with The Family Tree as a sponsor or a vendor, please contact Marie Collins at MCollins@AcadianaFamilyTree.org as soon as possible to secure your spot. Registration for the event can be secured on The Family Tree website at AcadianaFamilyTree.org beginning in July.
About The Family Tree
As a community-based agency, The Family Tree provides professional yet affordable or no-cost services to the Acadiana region. The organization’s programs support individuals, parents and families through various stages of their lives to result in better mental health, coping skills, stronger family systems and supports.
The mission of the Family Tree is to improve the quality of life for individuals and families over the life course through education, counseling and information services that are delivered in a professional, accessible, and compassionate manner. For more information about The Family Tree, visit www.acadianafamilytree.org.