NAHC Announces Jim Comer to Speak at 2016 Annual Meeting

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 8, 2016)—Val J. Halamandaris, president of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), announced that Jim Comer has been selected as one of the speakers at the 2016 NAHC Annual Meeting, to be held October 23-26 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

Comer is a renowned public speaker who has dazzled audiences for 25 years with his blend of humor, practical guidance and wide-ranging real-life experience. He has worked as an actor in New York and authored best-selling books. He has been a consultant on leadership and management for many Fortune 500 companies. He has also coached CEOs in the art of public speaking and at one point even wrote jokes for comedians such as Joan Rivers and Bob Hope.

But it was hard to joke about the turn his life took in 1996. He was living the good life in California when his father had a massive stroke and his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. So Jim quit his corporate job and returned home to Texas in order to care for them. The 14 years he spent as a caregiver inspired him to write When Roles Reverse: A Guide to Parenting Your Parents. This moving account of his transformation from self-absorbed writer to active caregiver was nominated as the best non-fiction book for 2007.

He continues to share the lessons he learned in dealing with his parents’ crisis and help others be prepared when their turn comes. Recently he has also begun addressing homecare and hospice providers because he knows their issues so well. In addition, he has helped audiences overcome their tremendous fear of public speaking, especially when they are trying to discuss issues that arise in caring for aging parents. Despite the grimness of his subject, Comer’s presentations leave audiences upbeat and ready to take action. His mix of humanity and humor makes him a valued addition to the roster of speakers at the NAHC Annual Meeting. 

“We are proud to welcome Jim Comer,” said Halamandaris. “We are grateful to the members who bought him to our attention. He is an honored member of the National Speakers Association and his rave reviews speak for themselves.”

• “Inspirational, informative and humorous” are words recently used to describe him by Crystal, a Texas home health nurse.
• “Dynamic and amazing. One of the best speakers I have ever heard!” according to Marilyn, a home health nurse from Arizona.
• “Experiencing Jim Comer is like mixing a rock concert with an extraordinary lecture,” said Darwin, a chaplain with a San Antonio hospice. “His ability to entertain while educating and empowering is amazing.”

Based on this high praise, the crowds at the 2016 NAHC Annual Meeting can look forward to something special. Comer’s subject will be “How to Overcome Your Greatest Fears.”

For more information, visit nahc.org.