November is National Caregiving Month! To celebrate – and help – all those selfless givers, Senior Planet will host a informative and insightful Zoom panel discussion on Friday, November 14 at 2pm ET.   We’ll explore the state of caregiving in the United States, how self-care is an essential component to caregiving, and reveal resources caregivers can use to support their work.  

Join us on Friday November 14th at 2:00pm ET on Zoom! Click here for more event details.  

Meet the Panelists  

Bob Stephen is AARP’s Vice President, Caregiving and Health Programs and serves as AARP’s lead for family caregiving. In these roles, he leads the strategy and execution of AARP’s enterprise-wide efforts to help 50 plus Americans live independently at home and in the community, while supporting the 63 million family caregivers who so often make this possible.

Prior to joining AARP in 2010, Bob spent more than two decades in strategy development and management consulting, where he worked with rural communities and healthcare organizations.  He has an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Bob is originally from Southern Illinois and now lives in Fairfax, VA with his wife. Their first grandson was born in March. This was a happy break from the family caregiving they have both been doing.  Bob is an avid but slow runner and is hoping to finish his 21st marathon next weekend!  

Linda Abbit is an eldercare professional and caregiver with more than 25 years of experience caring for her parents and other family members. She is the author of The Conscious Caregiver: A Mindful Approach to Caring for Your Loved One Without Losing Yourself, (Simon & Schuster, 2017). She currently writes, speaks, leads workshops and assists family caregivers through her book and her Tender Loving Eldercare website, Facebook page, and on Instagram @linda_abbit.

In June 2023, Amy Dickinson recommended Linda’s book to family caregivers in her nationally-syndicated column, “Ask Amy.” Linda worked for over ten years in the eldercare and health care professions. She holds a Master’s degree in Education and was a support group facilitator for the Alzheimer’s Association in Orange County for many years. Linda received the Caregiver of the Year Award by Caregiving.com in 2009. Her motto is “Self-care is NOT selfish!”  

Andy Tubman is a board-certified music therapist, public speaker, and expert in music and the brain with over 25 years of experience developing innovative therapeutic techniques. As co-founder and Chief Clinical Officer of SingFit, he leads the creation of technology-enabled therapeutic singing programs for seniors. A Temple University graduate, Andy has worked across diverse healthcare settings and founded Integrative Music Therapy Services (IMTS) in 2005. Recognized by the state of California for his contributions to disability care, he consults globally on integrating music into medical systems. A sought-after speaker, he has presented at major conferences like the American Telemedicine Association and LeadingAge, and his work has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, USA Today, and Billboard Magazine. 

Meet the Moderator: Tom Kamber

Tom Kamber is the founder and executive director of Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP, which he grew from a single site in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, to a national scale, partnering at over 600 locations and serving more than half a million participants annually.

Tom spearheaded the creation of Senior Planet, the award-winning technology and community-building program serving older adults at flagship centers in New York City, Miami, Denver, and across the country through licensing partnerships.  In 2021, he led OATS through a successful corporate affiliation with AARP.   Tom has taught courses on technology, social entrepreneurship, and philanthropy at Columbia University, has published in professional and academic journals, and has presented his work on five continents.  He has a BA from Columbia University and a PhD from City University of New York.   

JOIN US!

Each of the three panelists brings a unique perspective on the topic of caregiving. We hope you can join us for this important conversation that will include an opportunity for audience Q&A. Find more details, including the link to join, here.  

Deirdre Lee serves as Director of Virtual Program Experiences for Senior Planet from AARP (formerly managing the organization’s licensing program). Based in Denver, she oversees Senior Planet’s online programs as well as the free hotline for tech or Senior Planet questions (available at 888-713-3495).