This webinar offers a thoughtful exploration of the transitions facing Catholic institutes and congregations as they come to completion. It considers the emotional and communal impact of these changes, including how ministry, identity, and charism are reshaped over time. Grief and loss, both personal and collective, often emerge during this process, raising important questions about meaning, continuity, and closure.

Alongside these reflections, the session will look at how individuals sustain their commitments within a shifting communal landscape. The choices members make—how they live out their vocation, care for their well-being, and remain present to one another—carry particular weight during this time. Just as vital is the strength of fraternal support, not only in offering companionship, but in creating space for honest conversation and shared discernment.

Presented by Deacon Steven DeMartino

* This webinar is cosponsored by NRRO and is free to all members of a Congregation with the use of a discount code. Please enter the discount code that was provided to you on the registration flyer and press the green “Apply Discount” button during checkout. Contact support@avilainstitute.org with any questions. *

Please click the link below to view the webinar flyer and instructions for registration. 

Webinar Description

In this session, Dr. Comfort will discuss when to refer residents to end of life care. He will review rate of decline—especially for those who have cancer—and address topics such as pain management, delirium, nausea and vomiting, dyspnea, and nutritional issues. Dr. Comfort will also review patient decisions at the end of life, such as DNR (do not resuscitate), cognitive screening, palliative sedation and care.

This archived version is recorded from our live long-term care conference, "Compassion, Comfort, and Compliance in Long-Term Care." The video features footage of the speaker and the presentation slides.

More Information

Webinar Description

Palliative Care is developing into a specialized area of medicine as interdisciplinary teams are created with the primary focus of symptom management, while utilizing the patient and family as a unit of care. Dr. Comfort will discuss types of pain and how to evaluate them for pain management recourses. The use of opioids will be explored

This archived version is recorded from our live long-term care conference, "Compassion, Comfort, and Compliance in Long-Term Care." The video features footage of the speaker and the presentation slides.

Webinar Description

Those participating will develop a better understanding of the use or decisions not to use tube feeding, with a particular focus on patients with dementing illnesses and stroke. Participants will be able to discuss feeding tube use in the following areas: clinical details on feeding tubes, dementing illnesses and difficulty in feeding and hydration, and the use of feeding tubes in strokes, differentiating between different types of stroke and probable outcomes; ethical grounding on the use or decisions not to use medically assisted nutrition and hydration; considering the right paradigms in differing situations.

This archived version is recorded from our live long-term care conference, "Compassion, Comfort, and Compliance in Long-Term Care." The video features footage of the speaker and the presentation slides.

Webinar Description

At-risk payors and providers are increasingly adopting value-based payment approaches. These include the SNF Value-Based Purchasing Program, another round of voluntary bundling (Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced), and accountable care organizations. These, and other market-driven changes, will place continued emphasis on improving quality and lowering costs. In this session, you will hear about the changes scheduled for October 1, 2018; other market-driven changes taking place across the country; why you need to prepare ahead of time; and how to position your organization to succeed in this increasingly challenging environment.

This archived version is recorded from our live long-term care conference, "Compassion, Comfort, and Compliance in Long-Term Care." The video features footage of the speaker and the presentation slides.

Is It Alzheimer's? 

There are multiple diseases that can cause dementia, which is an umbrella of symptoms that affect memory, thinking and can make daily life very complicated. Since more than one disease can cause dementia, it can be difficult to decipher what is actually causing the dementia. Alfred W. Norwood, BS, MBA, will describe:

• How Alzheimer's disease (the most common disorder that causes dementia) affects the brain
• Causes and effects of Alzheimer's disease
• How caregivers define resident quality of life

Identifying Your Inner Leader

It is a challenging task to be in a leadership position. You are directing a team and leading others by example. Author Thomas Mann once said, “If you don’t understand yourself, you don’t understand anybody else.” Terrance McGuire, Ed.D begins this session by asking, “Does knowing who you are benefit you as a leader?” In this insightful talk, Mr. McGuire discusses the importance of knowing who you are as a leader because, as a leader, you have the ability to influence people in your personal and work lives. He offers a reflective discussion on how finding your inner leader is not only a spiritual journey, but a journey that takes time to feel secure in a new leadership role.  In this presentation we will discuss: 

• How knowing yourself can help you to be a better leader
• The 5 principles of developing your inner leader

During this presentation Mr. Owen will discuss the pattern of the progression of Dementia and the five basic psychological and spiritual needs of people with dementia. Additionally, he will discuss the essential components of person-centered care, along with the utilization of visual and experiential arts in facilitating a sense of well-being in the person with dementia.

Webinar Description

The lecture will include a discussion of the nature of spiritual suffering and its treatment, as well as common mental syndromes and their psychiatric approach (such as delirium, depression and panic). Participants will explore emotional suffering, its nature, approaches to treatment, severity, and outcomes. They will learn about physical suffering, common forms of therapy and drug usage for pain control, dyspnea and obstruction. The session will touch on challenges of family care and approaches to therapy, as well as grief and the challenges it presents to staff and families.

This archived version is recorded from our live long-term care conference, "Compassion, Comfort, and Compliance in Long-Term Care."  The video features footage of the speaker and the presentation slides.

In this presentation, Clare Horn will discuss person-centered care concepts as it relates to memory impairment and how it benefits both caregivers and community members. This presentation will discuss:

• what person-centered care looks like including examples and outcome

• how person-centered care differs from traditional medical care

• how to build and sustain a person-centered care approach among team members

• the importance of having resources (education, consultative work) to support and be supported as the dementia progresses, etc.