As a personal care assistant, Katey Coffin knows firsthand what it takes to be a professional caretaker. Time. Patience. Enormous strength, both physical and emotional.

So when she sees everyday people struggling to care for an elderly parent or other family member, she understands exactly the battles they’re facing.

“Some of them can turn out to be 24-hour care,” Coffin said. “I just finished with a family. They did all they could, and they were working, too, and they had grandchildren. But they get to bed and in a little while the person is hollering for help. Well then, they’re back up.”

Some families turn to professionals like Coffin for day-to-day assistance or occasional respite. Others go it alone. “It’s a big family issue,” Coffin said.

On Friday, SeniorsPlus will offer them some help and TLC.

The Lewiston-based nonprofit will hold a free, daylong Caregiver Celebration at the Ramada Inn in Lewiston. Open to people caring for loved ones who are elderly or over 18 and disabled, the event will feature guest speakers Laurel Coleman, a geriatrician who has worked to improve the understanding and care of people with dementia, and Janet Edminson, author of “Finding Meaning with Charles: Caregiving with Love Through a Degenerative Disease.”

The event will also offer a buffet lunch, manicures, massages, hair styling, makeup consultations, health screenings and educational information – all free as a thank-you to people caring for loved ones.

Pre-registration is not required, but is preferred. To reserve a spot, call Kathy Brill at 1-800-427-1241, extension 133.