Register for caregiver conference

Mar 5, 2010 — The Wilson Daily Times

Mar. 4, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- The seventh annual Caregiver Education Conference will be held March 16 at Barton College.

The college's Gerontology Program, Alzheimers North Carolina Inc., the Upper Coastal Plain Area Agency on Aging Family Caregiver Support Program, and Dr. Joseph D. Russell have teamed up to sponsor this series of workshops and keynote addresses.

Russell, a doctor of internal medicine in Wilson since 1975, will join Alice Watkins, executive director of Alzheimers North Carolina, to open the conference. Passionate about his commitment and support of furthering patient education, Russell supports the conference through an endowment in memory of his mother, Lillian Hester McDaniel Russell, who served as a caregiver for her husband, Norman, following his stroke and declining health. The endowment also honors caregivers across the state.

The conference will be held in the Hamlin Student Center, and lunch will be provided. On-site registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with the program running from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Advance registration is encouraged.

The focus of the conference will be to explore various techniques and strategies that caregivers can use to care for themselves and persons with dementia, to identify resources for developing daily routines and programs that meet the needs of people with dementia and their caregivers, and to describe the most recent and effective assessment, treatment, and care options available for people with dementia.

Keynote speakers are Melanie Bunn and Teepa Snow. Bunn is the dementia training specialist with Alzheimers North Carolina. Snow is a dementia care and training specialist with Positive Approach. They will discuss current research efforts and how these efforts, past and present, are affecting those afflicted with Alzheimers and their families.

"The beauty of this conference is that it brings together the family caregivers with the professionals, programs, and services providing support, resources, and advice in one centralized location," said Steven Fulks, dean of Barton's School of Behavioral Sciences and director of the Gerontology Program. "The convenience of attending the one-day conference really maximizes the educational opportunities for the caregivers within their limited schedules."

Late morning workshops include "Becoming a Better Care Partner: Learning What is Happening for Them So You Can Change Your Approach and Care Behaviors," led by Bunn. A section option is "Managing Behavior -- Putting Together Pieces of the Puzzle for Success" by Snow.

Attendees have four options when it comes to afternoon workshops. Topics include "Prepare to Care: What Caregivers Need to Know" by Susanne LaFollette-Black, AARP-NC associate state director and Luci Bearon, cooperative extension aging specialist; "Faith and Alzheimer's Disease" led by the Rev. James E. Brown of First Missionary Baptist Church in Jacksonville; "Overview of Hospice for Health Care Providers" led by Hope Leicester, community educator with Community Home Care and Hospice; and "Chronic Disease Self Management Program: Taking Care of Yourself to Better Care for Others" led by Abigail Walton, regional ombudsman and health promotion disease prevention coordinator in Wilson.

Following the afternoon workshops, Snow and Bunn will deliver the closing keynote presentation titled, "Managing Healthcare for the Person with Dementia Throughout the Disease Process."

This conference is helpful for family caregivers and professional caregivers including nurses, direct care workers, CNAs, social workers, care managers, rehabilitation professionals, and community providers. It will also be beneficial for volunteers including clergy, day program directors, and transportation workers, church members, students in health programs or gerontology, and EMS and law enforcement personnel.

Families and volunteers can attend the conference for $5. This fee can be covered by Alzheimers North Carolina Inc. upon request.

Registration for professional caregivers is $25 per person. Professionals desiring continuing education credits also may receive five hours of CEUs for an additional $10 fee. Parking is free.

To register in advance, contact Kim Emory, family caregiver specialist for the Upper Coastal Plain Area Agency on Aging, at 234-5960, or via e-mail at kemory@ucpcog.org.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0361-42596224