2 LOCAL CAREGIVERS TO BE HONORED FOR THEIR AID TO OTHERS.

Byline: Daily News

LANCASTER -- Antelope and Santa Clarita valley residents will be honored for their care at home for invalid relatives.

Bobby McNear of Palmdale and Ramona Jacobs of Santa Clarita will receive the Courageous Caregiver 2006 awards Saturday at the Caring for the Caregiver conference, sponsored by USC Andrus Gerontology Center's Los Angeles Caregiver Resource Center.

McNear, sponsored by Antelope Valley Homemakers and Attendants, has been caring for his wife Trudell since she had a stroke at age 55 in 2001.

McNear has dealt with the challenges of caregiving and has overcome the misconception that asking for help is a sign of weakness, conference organizers said.

When asked about what he has gained as a caregiver, McNear said, ``I have learned to handle stress better. Before, I thought I had to do it all by myself. I have learned to ask for help.''

Jacobs, sponsored by Home Instead Senior Care, cares for her daughter, Michelle, who suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of a car crash shortly after her 21st birthday in 1987.

This year, she had an additional challenge when her daughter's long-term care insurance provider was bought by another company, which said it would only pay for institutional placement. Jacobs has continued to care for her daughter at home.

``It has been a long and bumpy journey, but it is rewarding. I can think of nothing greater than to have Michelle at home, giving her a good life while I can do it,'' Jacobs said.

The Caring for the Caregiver conference will be held Saturday at the Antelope Valley Senior Center in Lancaster. This is a free event and the public is welcome with prior registration. Contact the LACRC Antelope Valley office at [phone].