The Beard Center on Aging will host an open house for the Aging and Caregiving Resource Center on Friday, October 12, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in Hopwood Hall at the University of Lynchburg.
The Aging and Caregiving Resource Center opened in 2009 to help older adults and caregivers connect to resources in the community and find answers to questions. The Beard Center on Aging, one of the University’s centers that provides community services, was a partner in the startup and became host of the program last year.
“Our whole goal is to empower people, whether it be a caregiver or an older person who wants to age better,” Denise Scruggs, director of the Beard Center on Aging, said.
At the October 12 open house, Scruggs and other staff members will meet with visitors in Hopwood 304, the site of the Beard Center. Several members of the Central Virginia Consortium on Aging will set up exhibits about their services in Hopwood Auditorium, on the second floor of Hopwood Hall. Consortium members include health care providers, legal advisers, social workers, and others with expertise on aging issues.
The resource center is open for people who have questions related to aging, including caregiver health, exercise for older adults, or health care. At the resource center, Scruggs and University of Lynchburg students identify resources that would help the clients. Even computer and other technology help is available. “Our goal is not to answer the questions, although we do to a certain extent, but we teach them how to answer the questions for themselves,” Scruggs said.
The Aging and Caregiving Resource Center is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and at other times by appointment. To set an appointment, call 434-544-8456.
