The Fountain Hills Caregivers Support Group kicks off the New Year with a talk from Erica West about downsizing and home transition matters at its next meeting on Monday, Jan. 6.

The meeting starts at 11 a.m. in the Town of Fountain Hills Activity Center at the Fountain Hills Community Center.

West is affiliated with RE/MAX Sun Properties and is a certified senior housing professional trained in education, services and sales for seniors on the move. West will address caregivers about the entire downsizing process and provide information about the many resources she can provide to make this process easier.

Time permitting, an open forum will follow West’s presentation. This discussion will cover a broad range of issues, including how to manage the effects of caregiving on the caregiver’s personal health as well as contending with the emotional strain and drain of caring for a family member.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own caregiving materials to the meeting, such as books, articles, pamphlets and websites. This sharing of information allows for the exchange of thoughts and ideas about possible solutions to particular caregiving concerns. For more information, contact Jim Judge at 480-209-8755, or Bill Whittaker at 480-837-7961.

Open to all caregivers regardless of age, affliction or disease, or place of residence, the Fountain Hills Caregivers Support Group offers a responsive environment where caregivers may discover they are neither unique in their situation nor alone in their feelings and experiences. It allows caregivers to exchange ideas and information, find solutions to similar problems and suggest discussion topics for future meetings. It is also an opportunity for caregivers to develop informal networks and peer groups for extended support.