When Lynda A. Markut’s elderly parents downsized from their family’s farm to a more manageable home, she couldn’t understand why they were having such a hard time packing up their belongings and transplanting to a nearby residence.

“My father was depressed, and we didn’t even realize it. We were attributing his funk to not being able to physically work on a farm anymore,” said Markut, a licensed social worker and education coordinator at a Midwest chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

“As caregivers, sometimes we forget and don’t give our loved ones the space to be expressive of the changes they are going through,” she added. “Instead of minimizing or writing off their emotions, we need to learn to acknowledge their unhappiness rather than trying to gloss over it.”

Bringing her expert advice to the suburbs, Markut will be the keynote speaker for a seminar titled “Life wasn’t supposed to be this way! What to do when parents and seniors are blue” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3. The special session is part of the annual Senior Lifestyle Expo held at Drury Lane Theatre and Conference Center in Oakbrook Terrace. The event — the largest of its kind in the Chicago area — is attended by more than 4,500 seniors, family members and caregivers from all over Illinois and northwest Indiana.

“In past years, audience members have hung on the every word of our speakers, and that really validates the need for educational workshops like this,” said Connie Kobitter, special events manager for the Northeastern Illinois Area Agency on Aging in West Chicago.

“We want to ensure that older persons don’t just add years to their lives but add quality to their years,” she added. “Lynda will offer practical advice on preventing, recognizing and helping a loved one work through common life experiences such as grief and very treatable conditions such as depression. She brings a lot of empathy, so we’re excited to have her.”

Markut, co-author of “Dementia Caregivers Share Their Stories: A Support Group in a Book,” has worked on senior care issues for 25 years and sees the toll late-life transitions take on families.

“Maybe your mom moves (into a nursing home), and in an attempt to keep her upbeat, you and your siblings say ‘Oh, but look at it — you have all these great activities! You’re in a wonderful place!’” she said. “That senior feels like no one is listening to their fears and concerns.”

In addition to tackling communication tips, Markut also plans to cover risk factors, signals and treatments for depression. According to the Area Agency on Aging, 59 percent of the adult population is either currently serving as or expecting to act as a family caregiver. And this demographic is using fewer supportive resources to help shoulder the heavy load of looking after an aging person, Markut said.

“Nowhere is it written that you have to do this on your own, and I want to give people permission to get the help that’s available to them,” she added. “The goal is to connect them to specific programs, agencies or geriatric specialists who understand the aging process and body.”
The seminar is free, but space is limited and reservations are requested. To reserve a spot, call (630) 293-5990.

Marketplace of ideas

The senior expo is a major outreach initiative by the Area Agency on Aging, Kobitter said.

“We hope this informational fair functions like a marketplace where people will be able to exchange ideas or, at the very least, take advantage of the grab-and-go atmosphere to take home some literature and business cards,” she added. “Most families wait too long to address the issue of aging, and then our office gets crisis-management calls. So having the foresight to do some of the legwork earlier on is a great idea.”

Kobitter wants the community at large to see her agency as a conduit of information. One inquiry about adaptive equipment often leads to a Meals on Wheels referral, so going through a clearinghouse can be beneficial, she said.

The expo brings many of these resources together under one roof. The health and wellness aisle on the exhibit floor will offer booths staffed by more than 100 organizations, companies and providers.

“People leave the expo knowing where they can turn. (And) because they’ve often met face-to-face with representatives of participating organizations, attendees discover a newfound comfort level reaching out for needed services in the future,” Kobitter said. “This event is a much more personal way to explore area offerings than thumbing through listings in a phone book.”

Here’s a quick sampling of what the fair will offer:

• Fall prevention: Multiple exhibitors will tackle this subject. Physical therapists from Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital’s Balance and Vestibular Clinic will be on hand, offering free balance evaluations with written surveys and walking, balance and reach tests.

• Hearing screenings: The Chicagoland offices of the Hearing Health Center, Inc., will be giving out coupons for free hearing screenings. The company also will offer attendees a free look inside their ears with videoscopes and otoscopes, which audiologists use to reveal considerable information about patients.

• Diabetes: Sanofi-Aventis Diabetes HELP Team’s certified diabetes educators will talk with attendees about the signs, symptoms and treatment of low blood glucose, or hypoglycemia, and diabetes as well as proper insulin administration.

• Arthritis and joints: Orthopaedic nurses, physician assistants and doctors from Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush University Medical Center will answer questions.

• Pharmacy: The Pfizer Pharmaceuticals booth will offer questionnaires about overactive bladder, cardiovascular disease and smoking cessation, and pharmacists will be on hand to offer advice.

Fun fun fun

The expo also has entertainment and recreational offerings.

In addition to the crowd-pleasing Senior Idol Talent Competition, where seniors will perform to win top honors, the expo will offer dancing with live music by the Melodaires Big Dance Band from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4.

A grand prize of two free Southwest Airline tickets also will be awarded in daily drawings.