Piedmont Macon, Gentiva Hospice host Caregivers Symposium

“Taking proper care of themselves is imperative for those providing support and comfort to their loved ones.”

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Around 40 million people in the United States provide care to older adults and adults who have disabilities, according to the National Council on Aging. The organization says the majority of those caregivers, have another job or additional responsibilities.

To help support caregivers in Middle Georgia, Piedmont Macon and Gentiva Hospice hosted the 2023 Caregivers Symposium on Thursday morning.

Caregivers were able to hear the personal stories of others like them, and learn about resources available.

Cesar Figueroa, M.D., Medical Director of Behavioral Health at Piedmont Macon Medical Center, spoke about caregiver burnout and mental wellness care for caregivers.

“You have to take time to care for the caregiver,” he said. “Taking proper care of themselves is imperative for those providing support and comfort to their loved ones.”

Franchetta Trawick is a patient liaison and grief counselor for Piedmont Macon. She spoke to 41NBC about how important discussions like this are.

“Personally, this is a very important symposium to me, because I had been a caregiver for more than 20 years,” Trawick said. “I think this is a wonderful forum for caregivers who are dealing with the stresses and issues they face every day.”

Other topics of discussed were caring for a caregiver and helping them find life balance.