2013 Spring Caregiver Conferences
Indianapolis Conference
Friday, May 17th
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Ritz Charles
12156 N. Meridian Street, Carmel
To register for the Indianapolis Conference, click this link: Alzheimer's Association Spring Caregiver Conference in Indianapolis
Fort Wayne Conference
Thursday, May 16th
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Holiday Inn
4111 Paul Shaffer Drive, Fort Wayne
To register for the Fort Wayne Conference, click this link: Alzheimer's Association Spring Caregiver Conference in Fort Wayne
Merrillville Conference
Friday, June 28
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Avalon Manor Banquet Center
355 E. US Highway 30, Merrillville
To register for the Merrillville Conference, click this link: Alzheimer's Association Spring Caregiver Conference in Merrillville
The cost for Family Caregivers is $25 and the cost for Professional Caregivers is $60. CEUs will be available for social workers and health care facility administrators and certificates of attendance will be awarded to other professionals. The cost of the conference includes lunch, break service and handouts. Call 800-272-3900 to register.
Keynote Presenters:
The keynote speaker at the Indianapolis and Fort Wayne conferences will be Lisa Snyder, a clinical social worker and the director of the quality of life programs for the Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at the University of California, San Diego where she has worked with people with Alzheimer’s and their families since 1987. She was a pioneer in developing support groups for persons with early-stage dementia and is internationally recognized for her work in raising awareness about their thoughts, feelings, and daily experiences. In 1994, she began writing and publishing an international quarterly newsletter specifically for persons with dementia– "Perspectives: A Newsletter for Individuals with Alzheimer’s or a Related Disorder" - at a time when literature was devoted almost entirely to caregivers. "Perspectives" continues to be a forum for people with Alzheimer’s or a related disorder around the world to have a voice, advocate for their needs, and share their narratives about living with memory loss.
In her keynote address, Ms. Snyder will discuss common themes in early-stage dementia including: denial, accepting and disclosing the diagnosis, social and family relationships, coping with symptoms, and the need for humor and hope. She will review strategies for best responding to these themes for both persons with dementia and their families.
Ms. Snyder is author of the books "Speaking Our Minds – What it’s Like to Have Alzheimer’s" (1999 and revised in 2009) and "Living Your Best with Early-Stage Alzheimer’s" (2010). Both books will be available for sale and book signing at the conference.
Additional speakers/sessions for Indianapolis and Fort Wayne are being finalized.
In Merrillville, Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA will be the presenter for the entire conference. She is a dementia expert who trains and consults for agencies, facilities and families. She started her career as a direct caregiver over 35 years ago. Ms. Snow has taken care of two family members with dementing illnesses and the combination of her been there done that skills and her formal training give Teepa the credibility and experience to help caregivers with tried-and-true solutions.
The conference will start with "Managing Behavior: Start With Yourself." This session will help caregivers recognize and appreciate the role that their behaviors, words, actions and reactions play in the behaviors that are typically seen in people living with dementia. Emphasis will be placed on providing learners with alternative approaches and responses that are effective in promoting more positive interactions and outcomes. The goal is to help caregivers manage their own behaviors to change patterns rather than focusing on trying to get the person with dementia to “behave themselves.” Other sessions will address humor in caregiving,
