Over 100 area caregivers participated in Northland Pioneer College’s (NPC) first-ever Northern AZ Caregivers Conference held September 23, 2026, at NPC’s Winslow Campus. The day was packed with presentations from area healthcare and wellness representatives, along with informational resources and a spectacular tea lunch experience.
The conference was free for all attendees, courtesy of the event’s special sponsors including Accord Hospice, Little Colorado Medical Center, Sitgreaves Community Development Corporation, Summit Healthcare, Sweet Tea Party Rentals, The Guidance Center, The Peaks, and Aspire Transitional Care. Caregivers were also able to participate in the event virtually.
The day allowed caregivers an opportunity to be cared for themselves. NPC’s Winslow Cosmetology class provided complimentary manicures to attendees, and delicious brownies topped off the experience.
The conference began with touching remarks by NPC President Dr. Von Lawson, who stressed the importance of taking care of oneself. Insightful presentations centered around the impact of suddenly becoming a caregiver for someone you love, advanced directives and how to navigate them, caregiver burnout, providing care to the deaf, hard of hearing, or blind, managing money and navigating finances, building healthy brain habits, and caring for those with dementia. There was also a special presentation on the caregivers of today vs. the past, presented in both English and Navajo. Closing keynote remarks and reflection were provided by Brandon Baxter, aging director for the Northern Arizona Council of Governments.
“We wanted to bring caregivers in our communities together for a day of support, learning, and fun,” explained NPC Associate Vice President of Communications, Katie Matott. “This was the first event of its kind for NPC, and we are grateful to our sponsors and to the people who contributed their time, ideas, expertise, muscle, patience and good humor to make this conference happen. Together we created a day dedicated to supporting caregivers who spend so much of their time caring for everyone else. We hope the connections, information and resources we shared during the event continue to support caregivers throughout their caregiving journey.”
If you were unable to attend the event, the conference’s presentations are available for viewing on NPC’s Caregivers Conference website at www.npc.edu/caregiver. Downloadable presentation slides, handouts, and additional caregiver resources are also available on the webpage.
Matott said, “We are pleased with this year’s turnout and are excited to start planning for next year’s conference.” If you are interested in participating in upcoming conference plans, contact Katie Matott at katie.matott@npc.edu or call (928) 532-6157. For more information on upcoming NPC community events, visit NPC’s event calendar at www.npc.edu/calendar.
