The Arc of Calhoun County to Hold Workshops: When We’re Gone

It's something that a lot of families just don't want to think about, but they do think about it.  What happens when the main caregiver of a special needs family member is gone? 

Chances are that you're thinking of a family where one member faces intellectual or developmental disabilities, and you wonder what will happen when that person's parents are no longer around.

Planning for that eventual certainty is the reason for "When We're Gone",  two upcoming informational sessions that the Arc of Calhoun County is holding this coming Thursday and Saturday, February 7th and 9th.

Executive Director Leah Ortiz and Arc board member Lynn Eberhard were recent guests on the 95.3 WBCK Morning Show with Tim Collins.

Ortiz says their main goal is to help those with disabilities become more independent and self sufficient.   But there are things families can do to make sure that person's interests are always being put first.   She says that sometimes, families simply have no plan in place and the Probate Court has to step in and assign a paid guardian who may have never met that person, and never even has contact with them.  She says part of the Arc's mission is to advocate for these families and individuals and make sure they understand what their rights are, and making sure families have the support they need.

Eberhard says that she attended a similar workshop last year that really helped her family plan better for their daughter Michelle's future.

To register, call (269) 966-2575 or visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/when-were-gone-2019-tickets-52504720031

Lynn is a board member and a parent of an adult child with a disability.