Center on Aging Offers “Spectacular” Professional Development Seminars

Contact: George Manlove at (20) 581-3756

ORONO — Maine’s elderly population continues to grow a rate that is among the fastest in the nation, and that has increased demands on caregivers and geriatric specialists striving to keep up with ever-evolving treatment methods.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Maine had the third highest median age in 2000.

The University of Maine’s Center on Aging says it is staying ahead of the curve by tailoring this year’s Professional Excellence in Geriatrics Series to address the most critical issues facing people over age 65, and, as importantly, their caregivers.

Center Coordinator Leah Ruffin says the series, which takes place throughout the state in 12 sessions between March 18 and April 29, is an unusually valuable opportunity for anyone with an interest in geriatric care to learn about a multitude of new theories and treatments to improve quality of life issues and care for the aging.

“There is more customized information in this series than they would get at any other program,” Ruffin says.

This third annual Professional Excellence in Geriatrics Series (PEGS) — described by Prof. Lenard Kaye, director of the Center on Aging, as a “spectacular” learning opportunity for health care and service providers, will be held in Bangor, Belfast, Hallowell and Gorham.

“The aging field is growing and the need for training is growing,” Ruffin says. “From paraprofessionals to professionals, the need is growing as our population ages. As families find themselves dealing with aging, they are looking for support so people can age where they want to age, and that is in their homes.”

The program planning committee designed this year’s curriculum as a continuation of earlier programs. It is a continuing education program that incorporates suggestions from last year’s participants, and includes sessions on the need for more training in recognizing caregiver needs, treating geriatric mental health conditions, understanding the consequences of dementia, assessing elder abuse risk, promoting healthy aging and coordinating services for older adults.

Also, the Center on Aging has accommodated requests for continuing education programming in the past year and has addressed a variety of topics, including quality assurance, care management, diversity, and sexuality and aging.

“By including these topics in the 2004 program and by advocating an interdisciplinary approach, we aimed to meet the diverse clinical needs of those working in geriatrics in Maine,” Kaye says.

Recognized leaders in geriatric medicine, psychiatry, nursing, social work, communication sciences, law, hospice, cultural diversity, nutrition, elder abuse and pharmacy are scheduled to present separate 2.5 hour sessions in their fields of expertise during the seminars. Sessions employ a variety of educational methods including lecture, group discussion, panel presentation and analysis of case studies.

Participants receive a certificate of attendance for each individual session. Applications for continuing education credits in a variety of professional disciplines that provide services to older adults and their families have been applied for, including nursing home administration, medicine, nursing, psychology, and speech pathology and audiology.

The Continuing Medical Education board has approved the program for professional credit for attendees and American Nursing Association is expected to also approve it for credit for nurses, Ruffin says.

She expects as many as 300 people will sign up. Ruffin notes that the program is not exclusively for professionals. Anyone with an interest in the elderly will find it educational, she says.

Registration information is available by calling the Center on Aging at (207) 581-3444, or at the center’s UMaine website.

Early registration — by March 3 — fees are $30 per day or $175 for all 12 sessions. Registration after March 3 is $35 per session, $60 per day or $225 for the entire series. The student rate is $15 per session, and walk-in registration is welcome. Fees, which are non-refundable, cover the costs of materials, certificate of attendance or continuing education contact hours and refreshments.

The schedule is as follows:

Thursday, March 18, UMaine Hutchinson Center, Belfast, Session 1: The Diversity of Maine’s Aging Population: Cultural Sensitivity, 9-11:30 a.m. Speakers Roxie M. Black, Ph.D., O.T.R./L., F.A.O.T.A., Sandra S. Butler, Ph.D., M.S.W. and Kenneth J. Kindya, Ph.D., will take up: the components of cultural competence; race issues faced by elders; class issues; religious and spiritual issues; and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues faced by elders.

Session 2: Geriatric Care Management: Skills and Resources, 1-3:30 p.m. Mary Toppi-Beane, L.S.W., C.M.C., and Pauline T. Juneau, R.N., C.M.C., will discuss: what a professional geriatric care manager does, care-giving situations that may be of particular use to an individual or family and the components of a professional geriatric care management assessment. Speakers will identify possible community resources to help follow through on recommendations.

Monday, March 29, Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor, Session 3: Natural Alternative/Complimentary Therapies for Healthy Aging, 9-11:30 a.m. Moshe Myerowitz, D.C., C.C.Ac., C.C.N., D.Sc (Hon), is scheduled to: identify and describe five modalities within the chiropractic discipline; discuss the effectiveness and results achieved by natural alternative or complimentary therapies; and applying newly learned information to professional practice.

Session 4: Quality Management in Geriatric Health Care, 1-3:30 p.m. Elizabeth White, M.D., will discuss: three unique behaviors of seniors in accessing health care; four dimensions of quality assessment; current monitoring systems for quality in various elder-care settings; quality improvement plan using a five-step process; and how leadership style influences the success of a quality project.

Thursday, April 1, William S. Cohen Community Center, Hallowell, Session 5: Hospice and Palliative Care, 9-11:30 a.m. Laurel Coleman, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.M.D., will discuss:  the need for quality end-of-life care; five important features of quality end-of-life care; new tools to provide quality care; and newly learned information to cases related to hospice and palliative care.

Session 6: The Eden Alternative, 1-3:30 p.m. Debra G. Fournier, R.N., and Dayna J. Larson, R.N., will take up: the Eden philosophy; three plagues facing elders in long-term care; antidotes to eliminate the three plagues faced by elders in long-term care; and resources to pursue Eden Alternative site registration.

Thursday, April 8, Bangor Public Library, Bangor, Session 7: Aging and Mental Illness — Symptoms and Treatment, 9:30 a.m.-noon.* Niamh M. Holohan, M.D., will discuss: how to identify mental illness in older adults; the course of mental illness in older adults; treatment options available to older adults; and availability of resources for older adults with mental illness in local areas.

*Session 7 starts and runs 30 minutes later than other morning sessions.

Session 8: Keeping Elderly Minds Healthy, 1-3:30 p.m. Henry H. Atkins, M.D., will discuss: current knowledge and understanding of preventing mental health issues later in life; skills used to stimulate the minds of elders; and skills to interact effectively with elders, including those with dementia.

Thursday, April 22, University of Southern Maine Campus, Gorham, (Co-sponsor: USM College of Nursing and Health Professions), Session 9: Nutrition for Older Adults: Eating Healthy on a Fixed Income, 9-11:30 a.m. Nellie G. Hedstrom, M.S., R.D., will describe the recommended eating patterns for older adults; current nutritional status and needs of older adults; information about the importance of healthy shopping and healthy eating for elders; and information elders can use on how to eat healthy when dining out.

Session 10: Renewing Energy Activity and Life: Keeping Maine’s Elders Active, 1-3:30 p.m. Marilyn R. Gugliucci, Ph.D., Kevin Guidi and Heath R. Pierce, will discuss: the general benefits and limitations of elder fitness; what functional fitness is and how it is applied to working with elders or people with other limiting physical or cognitive function; research outcomes from participation in R.E.A.L. Fitness classes; hands-on use of R.E.A.L. Fitness class; and how R.E.A.L. Fitness programs can be adapted for older people in various environments of their choice (community, residential setting, adult day care, etc.).

Thursday, April 29, University of Southern Maine Campus, Gorham, (Co-sponsor: USM College of Nursing and Health Professions), Session 11: Care-giving Issues — Caring for Caregivers; 9-11:30 a.m. Ann O’Sullivan, O.T.R./L., L.S.W., and Romaine M. Turyn, M.A., will take up: three factors influencing family caregivers’ stress and their ability to participate in a care plan; five strategies to enhance family caregiver participation; two sources for ongoing caregiver support; and Maine caregiver characteristics data.

Session 12: The Hidden Problem of Elder Abuse, 1-3:30 p.m. A. Ricker Hamilton, L.M.S.W., will discuss risk factors contributing to elder abuse, neglect and exploitation; characteristics and indicators of elder abuse, neglect, and domestic violence for older persons; responsibilities of professionals to report suspected abuse and neglect; and developing community partnerships that address the needs of older victims of abuse, neglect, and exploitation.