Care of any kind – compassion, generosity, communication, reconciliation, service, ministry, teaching, giving – begins with and is nourished by self-care. Care begins with the power of pause. Care begins with the intentional choices we make about being present. If we practice this power of pause, it spills into our relationships and our work. It is a reminder that health – physical, spiritual, or mental – is not a guaranteed destination. It requires attention and mindfulness. In other words, it is requisite to pay attention – an invitation to the sacrament of the present moment. 

*This webinar is co-sponsored by The National Religious Retirement Office.

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

According to the United Nations, this year the number of centenarians is expected to rise to approximately 573,000 worldwide, with the US being home to 97,000 centenarians — the highest absolute number in the world. The unique nutrient needs of these aging individuals is a new frontier. Life expectancy in 1921 was 60 years for men and 61.8 years for women. In just 100 years, we have increased the life expectancy to 76.2 years for men and 81.2 years for women.  

While we are all living longer, we are living longer…older. This program will explore the changing physiology and the resulting unique nutrient needs of the body during the aging process. As we age, our caloric needs decline. This means that it is important for all foods and snacks to be nutrient dense. Healthy and practical snacks will be explored, along with discussing how to keep the lines of communication between Food Service providers, Registered Dietitian Nutritionists and Eldercare providers open, as it is essential to ensure the healthy potential of all residents in our care.

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.

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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

This webinar will outline some concrete steps that are available to all to help restore and heal the mind, body and spirit that are impacted by compassion fatigue, at any time, but particularly in this time of COVID-19.

This webinar is designed for individual members of Congregations as well as leadership and healthcare providers.

This ready-to-teach in-service kit includes all the pieces needed to teach a 25-minute in-service.

In-Service Topic "Aging Appetite" What we eat is key in maintaining our health, and our needs change as we age. Sometimes it is difficult for the elderly to receive proper nutrition; incontinence, for example, may lead an elder to consume fewer fluids and become dehydrated. It is important to know what food groups and vitamins an elder needs, and to understand how medications and factors of aging can affect taste and the ability to absorb nutrients. Caregivers will learn the following topics:

• Common dietary concerns for the elderly
• Why changes in appetite occur and how to aid an elder who experiences them
• Chronic diseases and how lifestyle choices, such as diet, can impact them
• Foods to delay or inhibit dementia and supporting dementia residents at mealtime
• Healthful foods and what they do

This in-service kit includes:

• A recorded video of the in-service (internet access required)
• Lesson Plan (PDF) Presentation slides and script (Microsoft PowerPoint File)
• Presentation handout as slides and notes (PDF)
• 4-page summary of presentation (PDF)
• Pre-test (PDF)
• 4 post-tests with 5 questions each and answer key (PDF)
• Follow-up (PDF)
• Certificate Template (PDF)