Date: October 24 - 28, 2022

Location: VIRTUAL via Zoom Webinar

Description: Hear talks about the industry by nationally-renowned speakers and recreation and activities experts and come up to speed on best practices in programming and resident care– all information and ideas you can immediately put into practice! This is a DON’T MISS event if you seek to enhance your knowledge, elevate your residents’ and clients’ experiences, and improve your programs.

Who Should Attend: Therapeutic recreational specialists, directors of activity, leisure time specialists, program directors, TR and activity staff members and other professionals who work in nursing facilities, assisted living, adult day health care, senior centers or other settings which offer activities and recreational programs.

Cost: $169 (fee includes access to all sessions and online materials)

Continuing Education: Application has been made to the National Certification Council for Activity Professionals for 16.25 hours of certification credit. If approved, credit will be awarded upon request via credit form and verification of hours attended. ACF/AL: A certificate of completion for up to 16.25 hours will be sent to adult care facility and assisted living professionals upon verification of the hours attended.

Cancellations: There are no cancellations permitted for this webinar series. Those who are registered and do not attend will not receive refunds and are still responsible for payment in full if not already paid.

Requirements for Webinar Sessions: You will need a desktop or laptop computer with high-speed internet access and speakers. We recommend using Google Chrome for your internet browser. Access instructions for the virtual sessions will be emailed to you in the days prior to the start of the live program. Emails will be sent to the address used for registration and will come directly from Zoom at [email protected] and the sender’s name will be FLTC/LeadingAge New York. Dial-in access will not be available for this program.

Program (all times listed in CT):

Monday, October 24:

• 10:00 - 11:00 am: Addressing Burnout and Improving Wellbeing: How to Find Your Center Certified Life Coach, Wellness Consultant, and Mindfulness Facilitator Kim Perone examines the difference between stress and burnout and guides us to understand how to identify our current state and ways to improve our wellbeing, while still accomplishing everything we need and want to do in life. Kimberly A. Perone, MA, CLC, CWMF, Success, Bereavement & Resilience Coach & Mindfulness Facilitator, The Center for Clarity, Compassion & Contentment, Ballston Lake, NY
• 12:00 – 2:00 pm Understanding Dementia and Its Impact on Life Enrichment Take a deep dive into how the invisible disability that is dementia may impact individuals’ participation in daily activities. Participants will take home tools and techniques that will help them understand what is going on in someone's brain with dementia. The information in this session will give participants a foundational knowledge to build on to help elders in their care live their lives to the fullest by focusing on their abilities rather than their disability. Bailie Hillman, OT, LNHA, Certified Dementia Practitioner and Trainer, Consultant, Azle, TX

Tuesday, October 25:

• 10:00  – 11:00 am: Creative and Innovative Ways to Engage Seniors The COVID-19 crisis has brought to the forefront of senior living the importance of staying connected and the consequences of isolation. How can workers in senior living complexes help combat social isolation and keep seniors engaged? This session will discuss creative techniques and innovative programs as well as funding sources to support such programs. Alisa Erdman, BA, PSC, Service Coordinator Team Leader at Diocese of Camden, Camden, NJ
• 12:00 – 2:00 pm Life Enrichment Programming: A Resident-Directed Approach This course is designed to empower healthcare professionals to identify goals for their senior living community. Once goals are identified they will understand how programming and person-directed care will help meet those goals. Everyone will leave with a practical step by step approach for implementation and documentation to track their success. Bailie Hillman, OT, LNHA, Certified Dementia Practitioner and Trainer, Consultant, Azle, TX

Wednesday, October 26:

• 9:30 – 10:45 am Supporting Person-Centered Care Through Montessori and Tailored Activity Programs Hear the story of how a community implemented a Montessori approach and Tailored Activity Programs (TAP) during the pandemic. Participants will learn the fundamental principles of each approach, how to conduct sessions, how to foster meaningful/purposeful engagement, steps to reduce unwanted behaviors, and how to initiate activities/tasks using these approaches. Strategies to impart the philosophy to all staff are shared. Lessons learned implementing this approach and incorporating it into the caregiving philosophy specifically during quarantine to impact QOL and resident satisfaction will be discussed. Dr. Kathleen Weissberg, OTD, OTR/L, Education Director, Select Rehabilitation, Milford, DE
• 12:00 – 2:00 pm Overcoming Apathy: A Framework for Supporting Individuals Living with Cognitive Change Apathy is one of the most common changes in behavior among individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, with an approximate prevalence of 80% in clients in facilities. This interactive presentation features evidence-based techniques to support new learning, initiation, and decision-making for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, who may benefit from additional motivation to participate in therapeutic programs of interest. Kelly Gilligan & Nettie Harper Co-Founders, Inspired Memory Care, New York, NY

Thursday, October 27:

• 12:00 – 1:30 pm Cultural Humility and Cultural Diversity In this session, the participant will learn how to create culturally competent communities through recognizing the need for diversity and humility. We will explore the differences between the medical and social models of care while acknowledging the importance of quality communication, authenticity, openness, and transparency. Creating quality culture will benefit the overall human relationships between staff and residents. We will review the positive takeaways of engagement and how social engagement will change the way we provide quality of life. Alisa Tagg, BA ACC/EDU CADDCT CDP CDCS, Association Director, National Association of Activity Professionals, Eau Claire, WI
• 2:00 – 3:30 pm Quality Initiatives - Reducing Staff Turnover Staff turnover rates in long-term care and senior living are at a crisis level. Conservative estimates of turnover across the long-term care sector range from 45 to 66 percent with many facilities experiencing higher rates. Often facilities are "left in the lurch," attempting to fill those positions, either temporarily or permanently. The amount of time, money, and training lost due to staff turnover is great. Excessive turnover rate is not something that our industry has to accept and live with. This session will provide proven strategies and techniques to improve staff satisfaction and retention. Catherine R. “Cat” Selman, President and Owner, The Cat Selman Company, Vonore, TN

Friday, October 28:

• 9:00 – 11:00 am Adapting Activities – A Focus on Resident Abilities Each of us can think of one, if not several, “difficult” elder in our care whether it is due to an unwanted behavior, decreased communication, or severe physical impairments. This course will help you understand how to upgrade and downgrade any activity to allow all elders to participate and continue to maintain as much independence as possible. Stop feeling intimidated, lost, or even avoiding certain elders due to "not knowing what to do" and learn how to include everyone in activities that are already being offered! Bailie Hillman, OT, LNHA, Certified Dementia Practitioner and Trainer, Consultant, Azle, TX
• 12:30 – 2:30 pm Through the Eyes of Family: How to Best Serve the Families of Your Residents When welcoming an older adult into your care, you are truly admitting two: the older adult and their family! Learn game changing strategies to improve communication and confidently approach the inevitable "hard" conversations. Relationships built on a foundation of trust ensure happier residents and families. Bailie Hillman, OT, LNHA, Certified Dementia Practitioner and Trainer, Consultant, Azle, TX

Click the following link to be directed to the LeadingAge New York website to register. Click the "Attendee Information" link on the right side of their website for more information on the course.

REGISTER