With $5, you can treat yourself to the season’s coffee du jour, cycle the Colorado National Monument or purchase about half a movie ticket (welcome to 2016). But on November 10e, $5 will provide something much more substantial and lasting for 150 western Colorado residents attending the 16th annual Caregiver’s Conference at the Mesa County Workforce Center.

This year’s conference features keynote speaker Lori Ramos Lemasters, who will give a presentation titled “The Write Tool at the Write Time.” The program focuses on the use of journaling to help caregivers cultivate self-care and avoid burnout. Ramos Lemasters is the founder of Care Partners Resources, a company whose mission is about providing practical tools and support for caregivers—and journaling is a huge part of that. According to her website, Ramos Lemasters’ goal is “to share the lessons I learned along my caregiving journey so that you can smoothly navigate your own.”

The conference is co-hosted by the Area Agency on Aging of Western Colorado (AAAWC) and Aging and Disability Resources for Colorado (ADRC). Events take place from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

“This is a tremendous value for a $5 registration fee,” AAAWC Director Dave Norman said. “Attendees will have access to vendors, lunch and a very interesting keynote speaker.”

The organizers are expecting about 20 vendors this year, including service and government organizations and home health agencies. Demonstrations include how to use particular pieces of medical equipment, as well as sensory demonstrations that will give participants a sense of the challenges faced by people with impaired sight and Alzheimer’s disease.

“We want to highlight that not only is this informative but it’s also very interactive,” ADRC Director Christie Higgins said.

Additional educational offerings include talks about power of attorney and advanced directives, Alzheimer’s and hospice care.

To register for the Caregiver’s Conference or to learn more, call 244-8400. More information about Ramos Lemasters can be found at www.carepartnersresource.com.