Session Handouts
**Handouts will not be available on conference day for sessions noted with a downloadable link. If you would like to use them for reference please print them out before the conference **
Note: Audiences are indicated for each workshop listed in this booklet; however, the topic discussed may be of interest to other audiences. Individuals interested in attending any of the workshops are welcome to do so.
8:00 AM - 8:30 AM Opening Remarks
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Morning Keynote
New Diagnostic Criteria for Alzheimer’s Disease: What is changing? Workgroups sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the Alzheimer’s Association recently recommended revising diagnostic and research criteria for Alzheimer’s disease. The new criteria contain two salient advances: they formalize different stages of disease and they incorporate biomarkers of the underlying disease process. The new criteria thus identify three phases of Alzheimer’s disease: the dementia phase; the symptomatic, pre-dementia phase; and the asymptomatic, preclinical phase. Much additional work is needed to validate the application of biomarkers for diagnostic purposes. The impact of the new criteria for doctors, researchers and patients will be discussed.
>>CLICK HERE FOR SESSION HANDOUTS<< (PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A VERY LARGE FILE)
Christopher H. van Dyck,MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Neurobiology Director,Alzheimer’s Disease Research Unit Yale University School of Medicine
10:00 AM – 11:15 AM Breakout Session A
A1 - Alzheimer’s 101: Introduction to Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (Caregiver/Professional Audience) This session will provide an introduction and overview of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. The intended audience includes caregivers and professionals new to the field along with those desiring an update on key concepts and emerging trends in diagnosis and management of AD and other conditions.
Daniel E. Wollman, MD, PhD, Director, Center for Comprehensive Care, LLC; Medical Director, Lutheran Home of Southbury; Medical Director of Palliative Medicine, Saint Vincent's Medical Center
A2 - Professional Perspective: Critical legal and financial issues to consider when working with families caring for someone at home (Advanced Professional Audience) This session will educate professionals regarding the legal and financial issues of clients with family members who have Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia as well as discuss concerns they need to be aware of when working in their professional capacity with these families.
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Presenter: Julia M. Brown, Attorney at Law, Law Office of Julia M. Brown, LLC
A3 - Benefits of Multi-Sensory (aka Snoezelen) Room (Caregiver/Professional Audience) Snoezelen is a concept that combines two Dutch words: snuffelen (to explore or discover) and doezelen (to relax). Now a brand name, (like Kleenex is to tissues), the concept of Snoezelen is applied in Multi-Sensory Environments (MSE). This interactive workshop will describe the development of a budget-friendlyMSE and implementation strategies, provide case examples of benefits to persons with dementia, and suggest resources to replicate MSE in any environment.
Presenter: Pamela K. Atwood, MA, CDP, CLL, Director, Dementia Care and Life Enrichment, Hebrew Health Care, Inc.
A4 - Tranquill Passages: Compassionate care in the last stages of life (Caregiver/Professional Audience) Tranquill Passages is a philosophy and practice of palliative care which provides a holistic continuum for those who are in the last stages of life. This session is for both healthcare professionals and family members and will provide information about the end-of-life process and the use of complementary therapies. Participants will learn how to initiate and honor advance directives for the person with Alzheimer’s disease along with how to develop an end-of-life care program in a long term care facility. At the end of the session participants will have a hands-on opportunity to experience aromatherapy, music therapy and Therapeutic Touch.
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Presenter: Ann Minor, RN-BC, HN-BC, CHPN, Holistic Care Coordinator, Southington Care Center
A5 - Take Good Care of Yourself: Managing care partner stress (Caregiver Audience) Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease can be stressful and challenging. The care partner does not always see the rewards while providing care. This session will help participants identify stress in their lives, develop ways to alleviate this stress, and most importantly, focus on how to take care of themselves while caring for others.
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Presenter: Janice L. Chiampa, BA, LSW, Area Dementia Specialist, Genesis Healthcare
A6 - Cognitive Interventions in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD): Do they work? (Professional/Advanced Professional Audience) While pharmacological interventions are the standard of practice for individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), practitioners infrequently discuss non-pharmacological strategies that may be beneficial to those with signs of this neurodegenerative disorder. The consensus is that although medications can help slow down the process, they do not prevent the inevitable decline in cognitive function. Patients and their family members, however, often seek out additional strategies to help stave off ongoing changes in patients’ thinking and may turn to other forms of intervention (e.g., exercise, dietary changes, crossword puzzles) to do so. However, the question remains whether or not these non-pharmacological interventions offer any cognitive benefit to those with MCI and AD. This presentation will review the current literature in this field and address the practical question of “Do they work?”
Presenters: Mélina Griss, Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Staff Neuropsychologist, Division of Neuropsychology, Hartford Hospital Institute of Living; Sarah Tartar, Ph.D., Staff Neuropsychologist, Hartford Hospital Institute of Living
A7 - Power Dynamics, Energy, and Renewal in Caring for Alzheimer’s Patients (Caregiver/Professional Audience) Improve your relationships with family and patients by incorporating the dynamics of humor and power in caregiving relationships. Through case studies collected over years, witness how the balance of power can be changed and how that affects both parties. Develop a new dynamic in caring for yourself to increase your caregiving effectiveness and simultaneously enhance your pleasure in the process. See what you have in common with professional athletes who don’t use will or discipline.Learn from how they incorporate rest, rituals, dreams, and passion instead.
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Presenter: Lesley Mills, Owner, Director, GRISWOLD SPECIAL CARE
A8 - Innovative Approaches for Behavioral Disturbances in People with Alzheimer's Dementia (Professional/Advanced Professional Audience) This presentation stresses common deficits of people with dementia and how they affect interactions with caregivers. The emphasis is on the prevention of difficult behaviors and, once they occur, how best to redirect and comfort the person. The literature is filled with vague terms, i.e. "redirect agitation”, which give few concrete suggestions to caregivers. The presenter will provide specificmethods for dealing with behavioral disturbances while honoring how the person feels and understand what may have stimulated the behavior in the first place.
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Presenter: Nancy B. Carlson, APRN-BC, Instructor of Mental Health Nursing, Western Connecticut State University; Yale University School of Nursing
11:30 AM – 12:45 PM Breakout Session B
B1 - Life Care Planning: Turning a crisis into a transition (Caregiver/Professional/Advanced Professional Audience) This session will introduce the concept of Life Care Planning. This is an interdisciplinary elder law approach to provide the appropriate legal and financial documents to older adults, or individuals of all ages, who have chronic care issues. The discussion will center around health: accessing quality health care, living independently in the least restrictive environment, and maintaining mobility and control of decision-making. Financial concerns include addressing the families’ fear of "going broke" as a result of nursing home placement and the possibilities for maximizing a legacy for loved ones.
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Presenter: Henry C Weatherby, JD, CLU, ChFC, CEBS, President, Weatherby & Associates, PC
B2 - Pain Management to Reduce Agitation in Dementia Care: Empiric study and case series (Advanced Professional Audience) Pain is well-documented in research and healthcare literature to be under-recognized and under-treated in persons with dementia. This workshop will review a feasibility study done by an interdisciplinary team to examine residents with advanced dementia and probable pain. It will include discussion about changes in the brain and how pain is expressed, complicated by cohort and culture; outcomes of poor pain management; tools to assess pain in persons with dementia and interventions for effective comfort management. Finally, a discussion on use of opiates, including how clinicians can address fears of the general public, will be reviewed.
Presenters: Pamela K. Atwood, MA, CDP, CLL, Director, Dementia Care and Life Enrichment, Hebrew Health Care, Inc.; Lisa L. Gagnon, RN, Program Manager of Behavioral Health Unit, Hebrew Health Care, Inc.; Henry Schneiderman, MD, FACP, VP of Medicine and Physician in Chief, Hebrew Health Care, Inc., Professor of Medicine, UCONN Health Center, Clinical Professor, Nursing, Yale University; Martin Cooper, MD, Medical Director, Connecticut Mental Health Specialists Psychiatric Director, Hebrew Health Care, Inc.
B3 - Dealing with End Stage of Life (Caregiver Audience) The purpose of this session is to educate the caregiver and family members on what to expect when a loved one is in the process of dying. Discussion will include: The 7 Stages of Grieving, choosing where to die, spirituality, how to say goodbye and coping with death. There will also be material shared on what services to include, who will be involved and ways to engage the caregiver/family and their loved one at the end of life.
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Presenters: Kathy J. Maher, AS, Therapeutic Recreation Director, Culture Change Coordinator, Candlewood Valley Health and Rehabilitation; Cindy LaCour, BSW, Director of Social Service, Candlewood Valley Health and Rehabilitation
B4 - At Home with Alzheimer's (Caregiver/Professional Audience) The presentation will begin with a description of the continuum of post-acute services available forAlzheimer’s clients at home including home health, hospice and private duty home health aides, homemaker, and geriatric care management. We will discuss the importance of continuity of caregivers for theAlzheimer’s client and the impact alzheimer’s has on clients and their families. The presentation will describe in detail, each of the services including the disciplines available, potential pay sources, qualifying criteria, and the benefits and limitations of each service. We will discuss how to determine the appropriate service for a client’s current needs.
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Presenters: Deborah Moeller, RNCS, Director, Constellation Private Duty; Wanda Gail Strickland, RN, BSN, Director of Hospice Services, Constellation Home Care
B5 - Healing the Caregiver: How to stay healthy while caring for a loved one (Caregiver/Professional/Advanced Professional Audience) “What do you mean take care of myself? There is no time or energy for that.” As caregivers to those with Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementia’s, you face a daunting task. In addition to attending to the emotional, mental and physical needs of your loved one, you must also take care of yourself. As you know, often times you fall victim to your own neglect, suffering both physically and mentally. Join me for an empowering workshop on how to make yourself a priority even as you provide exceptional care to your loved ones. Participants will learn practical tools to get back in touch with your needs and reserve energy for your self everyday. Very empowering! Don’t miss it!
Presenter: Alicia H. Farrell, Ph.D., Founder, The Center for Mental Fitness, President, ClearView Consulting
B6 - Montessori Programming Basics (Advanced Professional Audience) This session will outline the philosophies and strategies for developing Montessori-Based programming for people living with Alzheimer’s disease. Montessori-based programs approach an engagement plan from a holistic and non-pharmacological perspective for the person experiencing dementia. Some Montessori programs can be used as a rehabilitative intervention. Many programs established are part of a continuing series in the client’s care plan. The participants will be shown why and how to make assessments, how to evaluate the success of their programs on their clients, and will be provided with information and material to develop their own Montessori programs.
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Presenter: Vanessa Falzarano, BS, Therapeutic Recreation Director, Alzheimer’s Resource Center
B7 - Collaboration in the Midst of Crisis: A teamwork approach to coping with psychiatric symptoms of dementia (Caregiver/Professional Audience) This presentation will educate caregivers and professionals about utilizing a multi-disciplinary approach in understanding and intervening in behavioral symptoms of dementia. Psychiatric symptoms of dementia can occur at all stages of the illness. Education about brain function can lead to understanding and developing plans that specifically highlight individual strengths and compensate for cognitive deficits. Identifying symptoms and developing a collaborative care plan are important tools to prevent escalation of behaviors. Often, caregivers minimize psychiatric symptoms and if untreated, these symptoms can lead to catastrophic reactions and crisis. Involving a multi-disciplinary teamwork approach can be an effective way to address behaviors problems proactively.
Presenters: Jeanne Kessler, RN, BSN, Clinical Leader, Institute of Living; Nancy D. March, MSW, LCSW, Licensed Clinical SocialWorker, Institute of Living; Kevin O’Shea, PsyD, Clinical Psychologist, Institute of Living; Sara Zarinkelki, MS, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist, Institute of Living; Nathalie Mastarreno, Master of Social Work Intern, Institute of Living
B8 - Enhancing Spirituality Through the Creative Arts Therapies (Professional/Advanced Professional Audience) The connection between the arts and spirituality will be explored. The creative arts therapies will be defined and a distinction will be made between religion and spirituality. A number of techniques used by the chaplain to work with clients who have difficulty accessing their feelings will be shared.Attendees will have the opportunity to utilize a variety of creative arts techniques so as to experience their own personal spirituality, thus gaining practical knowledge as well as tools which they may duplicate in their work.
Presenter: Rev.Maria Scaros-Mercado, LCAT, Director, CreativeArts Therapies and Pastoral Care, Hebrew Hospital Home of Westchester
2:30 PM – 3:45 PM Breakout Session C
C1 - Advanced Directives (Caregiver/Professional Audience) What are advance directives? Who should have these documents? Although laws vary state to state, this is a presentation about your basic rights tomake health care decisions. Participants will experience a hands-on demonstration of how to complete the forms and what considerations should be explored in making these important decisions.
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Presenter: Sharon L. Pope, B.S., M.S., J.D., Attorney, Law Offices of Sharon L. Pope
C2 - Treating Elderly Patients with Psychiatric Illness: A multidisciplinary and continuum of care approach (Advanced Professional Audience) Psychiatric disorders are not uncommon in the elderly. Conditions like behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, psychotic disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders and delirium are frequently encountered in clinical practice. In this era of cost conscious medical care, the successful operation of the continuum of care-geriatric psychiatric service requires the optimum interplay between evidence based psychiatric treatments and an innovative administrative process. In this symposium we will review the operation of a successful geriatric psychiatric service which combines the latest evidence based treatments with a supportive administrative structure. Members of the continuum of care-geriatric psychiatric service belonging to different clinical disciplines will review their roles in this successful partnership. The purpose of this seminar is to highlight the various aspects of the geriatric psychiatric continuum of care; thereby educating clinicians and caregivers who often refer patients to this specialty service.
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Presenters: Rajesh R. Tampi, MD, MS, FAPA, Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine, Director of Behavioral Health, Masonicare; Attending Psychiatrist, Dorothy Adler Clinic, Yale New Haven Hospital; Deena Williamson, RN, MSN, MBA-HCA, Executive Director, Behavioral Health Services, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center; Nicole McEnerney, MSW, Primary Therapist, Masonicare; Mary Cash BS, PA-C,
Physician Assistant, Masonicare
C3 - Living in the Last Moments: Who are we when we are not in role? (Caregiver/Professional Audience) Throughout our lives we choose, are cast and define ourselves in a variety of different roles - husband/wife, daughter/son, mother/father, doctor/patient, veteran/civilian, etc. What happens when these familiar roles shift, blur or disappear through dementia or disease progression? Through the lens of a drama therapist, we will explore how these roles can impede or enhance the way one approaches these moments. The workshop, focusing on the Veteran community, will address the ways drama therapy through exploration of role, metaphor, story and play can assist in making these last moments connective and meaningful for both Veteran and family.
Presenter: Mary Lou Lauricella M.A, RDT, Recreation Creative Arts Therapist, Drama Therapist, VA Connecticut Healthcare System
C4 - Disaster Preparation ABC’s: Essential elements for effective planning when caring for someone with dementia (Caregiver/Professional/Advanced Professional Audience) Disaster preparedness is challenging for everyone, and evenmore so for those caring for persons with dementia. This workshop will share research findings and information about preparing for an emergency, including natural disasters, when caring for someone with dementia. Based on qualitative research conducted by The Hartford Advance 50 Team and the MIT AgeLab, information includes building a support network, customizing a “disaster kit” and planning for evacuation. The presenter will share tips, checklists and worksheets specifically tailored to the unique needs of caregivers and persons with dementia.
Presenter: Cindy Hellyar, MA, Corporate Gerontologist, The Hartford Advance 50 Team
C5 - Transitions of Care Across the Continuum (Caregiver/Professional/Advanced Professional Audience) It is important that providers understand the importance of assisting individuals/families living with dementia with long term planning. Often families wait until a crisis occurs and make decisions in the moment instead of having a well thought plan. Choosing the appropriate level of care, evaluating dementia sites, and understanding the financial realities of each individuals situation is necessary to long term planning. This seminar will provide information about how to develop a plan, assist families to implement the plan and cover options and financial implications.
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Presenter: Linda G. Worden, BSN, MPH, CMC, President, Worden ElderCare Consulting
C6 - Dad's Getting Married? Sexuality and Alzheimer's Disease (Caregiver/Professional Audience) Sexuality is a basic yet strong human need to give and receive affection. Sexual needs and feelings are a natural part of an adult’s life and they may not disappear once a person is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementia. This interactive presentation will define what sexuality may look like through the eyes of an individual with the disease and for ourselves as we age. We will also discuss the importance of separating our own beliefs and attitudes regarding this very personal part of life while providing care. Common myths and behaviors mistaken for sexual expression and strategies for dealing with sexual issues regardless of where a person is in the disease process will be discussed.
Presenter: Claire Rathbun, MSGR, Memory Care Director, Emeritus at Rocky Hill
C7 - Effective Care Giving Approaches: Strategy to foster hope in a time of despair (Caregiver/Professional Audience) When a person is diagnosed with Alzheimer disease or a related disorder, the family may experience overwhelming uncertainty and grief. One of the ways to foster hope is to focus on the remaining abilities of the person with dementia. Engaging the individual as well as care partners helps to create an environment that is healthy and supportive. This workshop will offer care planning approaches, effective communication strategies, and tools to foster autonomy in order to reduce depression, apathy and frustration.
>>CLICK HERE FOR SESSION HANDOUTS<<
Presenter: Kerry C. Mills, MPA, Dementia Coach, Engaging Alzheimer’s, LLC
C8 - Why is the Mail Stacking Up? Relationship Between Cognitive and Functional Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease (Advanced Professional Audience) This workshop for advanced professionals will review the utility of neuropsychological evaluations in elucidating patients’ cognitive and emotional status, as well as tracking disease progression. Correlations will be made examining functional and behavioral changes at several points during the disease course. A focus on pragmatic interventions, including patient-directed compensatory strategies, will refill the clinician’s toolbox for working with individuals and families through each stage of dementing illness.
Presenters: Sarah Bullard, Ph.D., ABPP, Staff Neuropsychologist/Director, Hartford Hospital Institute of Living; Kevin Young, Ph.D., Neuropsychology Fellow, Hartford Hospital Institute of Living
Questions about the conference may be directed to Stacy.Chavis@alz.org
