DALLAS – Misericordia University hosted officials from the state Department of Aging for its Caregiver Support Symposium on Tuesday, highlighting resources available to Pennsylvanians doing the often hard work of caring for older family members and others in need.
Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich delivered opening remarks in which he discussed the increasingly crucial role caregivers play in the Keystone State. He said there were now 2.4 million unpaid caregivers in the commonwealth helping 3.4 million seniors.
“That’s 2.4 million people who are giving up time, but working a job or raising a family, or supporting their loved ones in other ways,” Kavulich said. “It’s really the backbone of the caregiving industry in many ways and we need to do our best in Pennsylvania to support them.”
Nathan Lampenfeld, special assistant to the secretary of aging, delivered a presentation on the department’s landmark effort to help caregivers – PA CareKit. Accessed by more than 300,000 Pennsylvanians, the PA CareKit is meant as a holistic resource for caregivers, replete with care-planning worksheets, lists of state resources available to help caregivers and self-care advice for caregivers.
The kit also includes “Understanding Your Needs Quiz,” which assesses the level of stress individual caregivers face in their daily lives, assigns them a “burnout” score, and directs them to relevant resources.
Attendees at the symposium included Misericordia social work students, caregivers, and seniors.
Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich speaks during the Caregiviver Support Symposium in Insalaco Hall on the Misericordia University campus in Dallas Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Nathan Lampenfeld, special assistant to Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich, speaks during the Caregiviver Support Symposium in Insalaco Hall on the Misericordia University campus in Dallas Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce and Wyoming County District Attorney Joe Peters attend the Caregiviver Support Symposium in Insalaco Hall on the Misericordia University campus in Dallas Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich speaks during the Caregiviver Support Symposium in Insalaco Hall on the Misericordia University campus in Dallas Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Dr. Peggy Rapp, a former Misericordia professor of social work, said she thought the presentation was a “good balance between application and inspiration.”
Bryn Groblewski and Ann Marie Hirko, case workers for the Caregiver Support Program of the Luzerne County Agency of Aging, spoke highly of the symposium.
“I think the symposium was very beneficial and it gives practical advice to burnout caregivers, as well as helpers, so we can better support them in that capacity,” Groblewski said.
Janet Strish, a 79-year-old Larksville resident, spoke about her own years of experience working in caregiving.
“When I went in as a caregiver in nursing homes and private homes, I was very helpful…which was nice,” Strish said. “But I never thought of myself someday being in these circumstances.”
Fighting Fraud & Stretching away Stress
The symposium also included a presentation from Luzerne County District Samuel Sanguedolce on how caregivers can help protect seniors from fraud and abuse. Sanguedolce said caregivers should take note when seniors report wrongdoing and help them attend court and endure the often lengthy criminal justice process.
“As much as the police and the district attorneys are fighting for the elderly victims, caregivers are often… the tip of the spear leading that fight,” Sanguedolce said. “Because you’re the voice of that victim.”
Following Sanguedolce’s presentation, there was a brief section focusing on the SLP-Connect at Misericordia, an organization that offers engagement groups for persons with dementia and support groups for their caregivers.
The symposium ended with an overview of different, short exercises caregivers can use to alleviate stress. Dr. Tiffany Mulally reviewed a regimen of stretching exercises she called “movement snacks,” because they could be done quickly and fit into caregivers’ busy schedules.
“When you’re in this constant state (of handling the stress of a caregiver) you’re leaving your car running all the time,” Mulally said. “If you are not going to do it to your car, why are we doing it to ourselves?”
A Statewide Effort
Strengthening campaigns against fraud and tools such as the PA CareKit are parts of a broader 10-year plan, titled “Aging Our Way, PA.”
Kavulich said the Aging Department held town halls in several languages in every county in the commonwealth to solicit opinion and design the plan in a way that met the needs of seniors and caregivers.
“Becoming a caregiver can feel like stepping into the unknown,” the PA CareKit tells caregivers. “Your caregiver experience will be unique, but it’s important to know you’re not alone.”