Join us as we launch our educational programming designed to help our clients, their families and those in the community make thoughtful, informed decisions about care. We will be partnering with local experts to bring you information you can use now and in the future as you take your care journey. All our educational sessions are no cost to caregivers, please click the register link for the webinar you would like to attend.
Alzheimer’s: Having Difficult Conversations
November 17, 2020 at 12 p.m.
There are several common issues that arise in Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. Robyn Kohn, MA, CDP director of programs and services and Nicolette Vasco, program coordinator, at the Alzheimer’s Association will discuss each challenge and give tips for navigating tough conversations.
Driving
Having a car and driving mean independence; when should someone stop driving? Talking about giving up driving can be very challenging.
Going to the Doctor
How do you discuss going to the doctor with your loved one? What questions should you be asking when your loved ones go to the doctor? What information should you be giving them?
Financial Plans
A person with memory issues can live a long life. There are things that need to be put in place before they become incapacitated to ensure their financial future.
Legal
Certain important documents help our loved ones protect themselves and their assets. Carl Archer, an elder law attorney in central New Jersey, will explain what they are and what happens if they don’t have them.
About the Speakers
The Greater New Jersey Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association is here to help and support people with Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders and their caregivers in the fourteen counties they serve in Central and Northern New Jersey.
Archer Law Office is limited to working with seniors and their families, along with those with disabilities, and veterans. Carl’s elder law practice includes Medicaid planning and applications, crisis and estate planning, and related litigation and other services. He regularly volunteers with Legal Services of New Jersey as well as being a member of the Board of Trustees of several nonprofit organizations. His firm has offices in Somerset, Middlesex, Mercer, and Burlington Counties. He is certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the ABA-accredited National Elder Law Foundation.
Diabetic Foot Health
Comprehensive care & awareness of foot diseases are essential tools for managing the effects of diabetes.
Alan L. Bass, DPM, CPC, owner of Central Jersey Foot and Ankle Care, PC will discuss the importance of foot health as a key part of overall health for diabetics. He will focus on issues or problems caregivers need to be aware of when it comes to the foot that could indicate a greater health problem.
Diabetes is the number-one cause of neuropathy, damage to the nerves in your feet. Statistics show that 60–70 percent of those with diabetes suffer from neuropathy. This condition causes burning, tingling, or numbness in the feet, which could drastically alter a patient’s quality of life.
Second to trauma, diabetes is the leading cause of amputation of the legs. Seeing a podiatrist regularly is an important part of managing your condition and preventing complications. If you do experience a problem with your feet, your podiatrist is the best-qualified physician to treat it.
Special Veteran’s Program: Invisible Wounds
Veterans describe themselves as “men’s men” who go off to war, see combat and all it’s horrors then come home to their families. These soldiers often come home with psychological issues called Invisible Wounds of War (IWoW), which can present at any time, particularly as they age. The body naturally changes as we age, with disease or medications. These psychological issues can present themselves at any of those times, which can leave caregivers perplexed on what to do and how to help.
The goal of this presentation is to educate family members and caregivers about IWoW Veterans may be suffering from such as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Depression. This program will provide information to describe the symptoms of these particular “invisible” wounds, how they present in Veterans as they age, and how to help someone that is that may be suffering. The goal of this special program is to provide caregivers with a better understanding of invisible wounds of war and what they can do to assist someone who is affected by them.
Our presenter, Heidi Squier Kraft received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the UC San Diego/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology in 1996. She joined the Navy during her internship at Duke University Medical Center and went on to serve as both a flight and clinical psychologist. Her active duty assignments included the Naval Safety Center, the Naval Health Research Center and Naval Hospital Jacksonville, FL. While on flight status, she flew in nearly every aircraft in the Navy and Marine Corps inventory, including more than 100 hours in the F/A-18 Hornet, primarily with Marine Corps squadrons. In February 2004, she deployed to western Iraq for seven months with a Marine Corps surgical company, when her boy and girl twins were 15-months-old. Rule Number Two is a memoir of that experience. Dr. Kraft left active duty in 2005, after nine years in the Navy.
She currently serves as Chief Clinical Officer at PsychArmor Institute, a national non-profit that provides free online education for those who live with, care for, and work with military Veterans. She is frequently invited to speak at conferences and panels on combat stress, stigma and caring for the caregiver. She is a lecturer at San Diego State University, where she teaches stress, trauma and the psychological experience of combat, as well as Health Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, and Infant and Child Development. Dr. Kraft lives in San Diego with her husband Mike, a former Marine Harrier pilot, and her twins Brian and Meg, who have no memory of their mother’s time in Iraq.
Isolation and Loneliness Impact Mental and Physical Health
Both isolation and loneliness carry risks for older adults. Anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, heart disease, obesity and a weakened immune system are all issues that can be brought on by isolation and loneliness, according to the National Institute on Aging, part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. It can promote inflammation in the brain leading to Alzheimer’s, accelerate plaque buildup in arteries, and help cancer cells grow and spread. Randi Goldberg, a senior resource specialist at Archer Law Office, a central Jersey elder law boutique will address the issue and strategies to combat it.
Special Fall Prevention Day Presentation: Don’t Fall for Fall
The first day of fall, September 22, is National Fall Prevention Day to highlight the risk of falls for seniors.
“Falls account for broken bones, head injuries or even death for one in four adults in the U.S.,” says Stephen Hoelle, RN-BC, director of nursing at Assisting Hands Home Care. “In New Jersey more than 21% of older adults fall, which is a large percent of the population that is at risk for serious injury.”
Hoelle will discuss the clinical implications of falls during a special noon webinar. Ed McCarthy and Claire Davids of Caring Transitions, senior transition and relocation specialists, will discuss improvements that can be made to a home to improve safety, such as de-cluttering, identifying areas for better flow and increasing spaces for medical equipment. Lynn Knight, PT and author of Don’t Fall, will discuss aging issues related to falls and simple things that seniors can do to prevent in-home falls.
Change is Difficult, Needs to be Understood
Understanding the changing expressions and behaviors as our loved ones age is difficult for the person aging, their loved ones and caregivers. Changes can be brought on by diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, chronic conditions, lengthy illnesses or medications. Sheli Monacchio, CDP, CADDCT, CMDCP, director of life care resources at Princeton-based Van Dyck Law and founder of Caring Connections of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, a network of healthcare professionals that serve the aging community, will delve into how caregivers can cope with these changes.
Dementia Workshop: Effective Communication Strategies
Special presentation from Assisting Hands Richmond
Learn to decode the verbal and behavioral messages delivered by someone with dementia. Identify strategies to help you connect and communicate at each stage of the disease. This workshop is based on the Positive Approach to Care® (PAC) developed by Teepa Snow. The workshop will be led by Cathy Hamlin, Assisting Hands Richmond’s Executive Administrator, who is a PAC Certified Independent Coach.
Understanding Dementia & Improving Caregiver Interaction
Special presentation from Assisting Hands Richmond
The GEMS® approach to coping with dementia focuses on ability instead of loss and is an extremely helpful tool to assist with changing abilities that impact relationships and expectations.
It is not only a way to describe the various stages of dementia but also as a means to improve interaction and appreciation of individuals living with dementia. GEMS® is based on the Allen Cognitive Scale, recognizes the shifts in our skills and abilities in any given moment. Learn more about what it means to be living in the world with Sapphire, Diamond, Emerald, Amber, Ruby or Pearl cognitive and physical ability.
This workshop will be led by Cathy Hamlin, Assisting Hands Richmond’s Executive Administrator, who is a PAC Certified Independent Coach. The GEMS® was developed by Teepa Snow as part of her Positive Approach to Care® (PAC).
10 Warning Signs of Dementia
Special presentation from Assisting Hands Richmond
Dementia causes memory, thinking and behavior changes that can interfere with all aspects of daily living. Learn about 10 common warning signs and symptoms to look for in yourself and others, as well as tips to approach someone who is experiencing changes in their memory, the benefit of early detection, diagnosis and more.
This workshop will be led by Cathy Hamlin, Assisting Hands Richmond’s Executive Administrator, who is a PAC Certified Independent Coach. The GEMS® was developed by Teepa Snow as part of her Positive Approach to Care® (PAC).
