USI offers hands-on workshop for long-term care providers

According to the Alzheimer's Association, more than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, and their caregivers frequently report experiencing high levels of stress. The University of Southern Indiana and SWIRCA & More are offering a special workshop to help direct care providers learn new caregiving and coping skills to deal with Alzheimer's and related dementia from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Wednesday, August 13, in Carter Hall in University Center West.

The workshop will be led by Teepa Snow, a renowned dementia expert. Her presentation is titled, "Positive Approaches to Provide Support and Care: Changing Challenging Behaviors." The registration fee, which includes lunch, is $30 per person or $120 for a direct care team of five (register four and get one more free). Registration is limited to the first 150 registrants, and the form can be downloaded at http://www.usi.edu/health/maiapreconference.

"USI and SWIRCA & More are excited to bring this opportunity to teams of professionals who provide direct care to frail elders in long-term care and home health settings," said Dr. Katie Ehlman, director of the USI Center for Healthy Aging and Wellness. "Certified nursing assistants, activities and dietary staff and housekeepers are among those who will find it useful and relevant. Teepa's philosophy is based on years of medical research and her background in occupational therapy."

Ehlman said the workshop was designed for caregivers who seldom have the opportunity to attend a conference. "Teepa's presentation will give them a hands-on opportunity to try out new caregiving skills in a safe, engaging environment," she said.

The workshop is a pre-conference event for USI's seventh annual Mid-America Institute on Aging (MAIA), set for August 14-15. Snow will give the opening keynote address at 8:30 a.m. on the first day of MAIA.

"Teepa was one of our keynote speakers last year. She was definitely a crowd favorite, so we invited her back to USI, not only to open the two-day conference, but to facilitate the pre-conference workshop," said Ehlman. "Her message will be useful to anyone who cares for people with memory disorders, dementia or Alzheimer's disease. She has a great sense of humor and often role-plays with her audiences to show ways to be effective caregivers while still giving patients the dignity and respect they deserve."

MAIA co-providers are Deaconess and St. Mary's hospitals and Evansville Protestant Home, and the corporate sponsor is Holiday Health Care. For more information about the other 2014 MAIA speakers, visit usi.edu/health, call 1-800-467-8600 or email outreach@usi.edu.