I learned to drive before computers (yes- it has been that long…). I was taught to study an actual paper map to figure out the address and how to get there. Today, I rely on my GPS to get me everywhere. It is so helpful to have the nice voice tell me where I am and how to get to where I am going!

I attended the Apex Senior Fair this morning, and as I made my way around to the tables in the gym, I was excited to learn about so many GREAT resources there were for older adults and their families in this community! I was also surprised at how many of them I didn’t know existed. Sometimes I feel that way when the nice voice on my GPS takes me through a part of town I never knew was there. How can we ever know what is out there if we don’t know it’s out there? How can we keep up?
So how are individuals and families supposed to learn about community supports and services quickly when they are faced with an emergency, a crisis? Are they expected to spend days, weeks, months calling all organizations to find out what they do and how they can help? Is attending a senior fair enough to help you plan for the future and be prepared in case of emergency? Probably not. That is why it is helpful to find a group of professionals who make it their business to know about available resources in the community. They make all the calls, they maintain all the relationships— when there is a need, they know exactly what to do. These are the professionals who are our navigators, they are our roadmap, they are the GPS system we need to arrive safely at our destination.