Jennifer McKeown – Aging Brain, Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias: Bridge the Communication Gap, Manage Challenging Behaviors and Connect with Your Clients and Their Caregivers

Outline

• Diagnosis, Prognosis and Pharmacological Treatment
  • Types of dementia and pseudo-dementia
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Diagnosis and prognosis
    • Stages/Presentation
    • Risk factors/Genetics
  • Assessment tools
  • Medications and side-effects explored
    • Current medications
    • Preventative treatments
• Bridge the Communication Gap with Innovative Approaches
  • When traditional communication is replaced by behaviors
  • Person centered: Gathering beliefs and values
  • Effective tips for communicating with dementia patients
    • Find the meaning behind the gesture
    • How to avoid arguments
    • What questions to ask, and how to ask them
  • Meaningful activities that connect
    • Music and memory
    • Photo books, boxes
    • Postcards and other innovative tools
• Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms: Triggers and Intervention Techniques
  • Depression and anxiety
    • Journaling
    • Music and memory
    • Aromatherapies
  • Agitation – triggers, pain and care planning
    • Music
    • Aromatherapies
    • Bright Light therapy
  • Delusions and hallucinations
    • Potential causes and complications
  • Wandering as a stress reliever
  • Elopement -reducing risks and action steps
  • Adapting as the disease changes
• Work with Caregivers: Family as Members of the Care Team
  • Family dynamics
  • Normalizing change
  • Validation, empathy and active listening
  • Providing 1:1 counseling to families
  • Anticipatory grief counseling
  • Caregiver self-assessment scale
  • Caregiver burnout and where to go for help
• Sex, Intimacy and Sexual Identity in Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Sexual manifestation and expression
  • Dementia and marital sex
    • Assessment tools for ability to consent
    • Sexual expressiveness and interventions for dignity
  • LGBTQ Culture
    • Needs and competencies
    • SAGE: Advocacy & Services for LGBTQ Elders
• The Ethics of Dementia
  • End of life issues
  • Power of Attorney
  • Elder abuse