Presentation Topics
Presentations may be shortened or lengthened, and crafted to your particular needs.
Jane is open to learning more about your needs and working with you to create a presentation to fit your specific group or conference need.
Here are a few of her most popular presentations.
Proactive Aging: Preparing for the Third Act
(90 minute presentation appropriate for any audience.)
While we may be living longer, we cannot completely stop the aging process. It's happening to all of us! In theater the third act is the resolution of the entire story, where questions are answered and the characters come to a meaningful conclusion. Geriatric specialists generally refer to this time as the last 30 years of life. Are you prepared to make the most of yours? This workshop not only asserts that aging is not a diagnosis, but that we can and should be proactive in crafting a plan for that time of our lives. Lets make emotional, physical and intellectual preparations for a standing ovation for our third act!
A More Peaceful Dementia
(Available as a 1 hour presentation for family caregivers or a 3 hour presentation appropriate for long term care staff and healthcare professionals.)
This workshop offers an overview of a dementia care philosophy just emerging in the United States. Using what she learned in training sessions and discussion groups in the United Kingdom in 2011, Jane developed a workshop that highlights the foundations of this philosophy, presents ideas worthy of discussion, and provides a pathway for new, "out of the box" attitudes in dementia care.
Participants will be introduced to a simple analogy of how memory works, the normal impact of aging and the dramatic changes introduced by dementia. Drilling down to the four MOST crucial elements of person centered care, participants will become familiar with the 'golden rules' for creating a calmer experience for the person with dementia.
Sexuality, Dementia, and Long Term Care: How Many Shades of Gray?
(90 minutes appropriate for professionals, may be shortened for family caregivers)
It's gross to think about, right?? Do people with dementia behave inappropriately? Should people with dementia even be allowed to engage in sex? Should we even talk about it?? Or should we say "Eewww" and change the subject?? It can be a challenge for long term care staff as well as family members. And now we have the Baby Boomers, the generation who created the "Make Love not War" philosophy entering long term care. How is THAT going to change things? Let's talk.
Caregiving Defined: Who is a Caregiver and Why It's Important to Know
(One hour presentation that may be adapted for professionals or family caregivers)
Just who is a caregiver? Some who are caregivers, actually don't identify with the term. Why not? And why does it matter? Learn the most recent and most accurate definition of a caregiver, and explore the emotional stages caregivers may experience. What takes the biggest toll, the physical or emotional burdens of caregiving? And let's discuss strategies to avoid the serious pitfalls that may occur in the final stages of caregiving.
A Trip to the Hospital, Chaos or Calm?
(1 hour to 90 minutes)
A visit to the hospital can be complete chaos for the person with dementia and their caregivers. But some have decided this does not have to be the norm. This presentation will provide information on innovative "dementia responsive" acute care programs around the country and across the pond, as well as provide suggestions for both professionals and family caregivers on how to make the visit to the hospital less stressful and chaotic.
These things we call behaviors, and can we manage them?
(This two hour workshop meets the WV OHFLAC guidelines for long term care facilities. Topics covered include the basics of the disease, communication, behaviors, and activities.)
This workshop will share the current research and opinion on the use of drugs to manage the behaviors often seen in individuals with Alzheimer's . Are they "behaviors" or just a "new communication style?" Explore the problem, discuss the options and come away with an understanding of the new normal.
(2 hours)
Welcome to the Sandwich Counter
(Available as a 1 hour or 90 minute presentation for family caregivers )
Here we sit, trying to keep our balance while sandwiched between the needs of the person for whom we care and our own needs. How do we navigate this situation in which we find ourselves? Is there a type of sandwich that we should strive to be? How does our personality type impact our caregiving style as well as our stress?
Learn some tips and strategies to keep your balance as you walk your caregiving journey.
The Wounded Caregiver
(90 minute workshop appropriate for professionals or family caregivers)
When one becomes a caregiver, it is hopeful that the relationship has always been a loving and satisfying one. Sadly, that is not always the case. The daughter who never felt loved or accepted, now finds herself having to care for the mother with whom she has always had a strained relationship. The wife, who if from another generation might have divorced the jerk, now must provide full time care for him. An already stress inducing situation becomes even more so with unresolved hurts. This 90 minute presentation will explore this complex issue and provide suggestions for easing the pain and begin healing.