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Since 2011, The National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) and the Avila Institute of Gerontology (AIG) have been collaborating to offer webinars to Religious Communities. The webinar topics are chosen by NRRO and AIG, and reflect the expressed needs and interests of Religious Communities. The co-hosted webinars do not offer continuing education credit hours. 

 

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  • August NRRO Webinar

    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.

  • This presentation will focus on the meaning of compassion and distinctions between burnout and compassion fatigue.

    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.

    Mary T. O'Neill, BCC, D. Min.

    Retired VP of Spiritual Care and Pastoral Education, Catholic Health Services

    Mary T. O’Neill has over 30 years of experience with training Ministry students for national board certification as Chaplains and spiritual care providers to patients, families and staff persons in healthcare. She is certified as a Pastoral Educator through the National Association of Catholic Chaplains and the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. Mary T. is also a Licensed Therapeutic Massage Therapist and has worked many years in care for persons struggling with illness, disability and the diminishment of age. For 18 years, Mary was employed as the Assistant Administrator/Director of Pastoral Services at Calvary Hospital in Bronx, NY, a specialty palliative care hospital that emphasizes care for the whole person, body, mind and spirit. Her recent employment for 13 years was with Catholic Health Services of Long Island (CHSLI), NY, as VP for Spiritual Care and Pastoral Education. Catholic Health Services is a health system that covers a wide spectrum of health and behavioral services. She received her master's degree from St. Louis University and her Doctor of Ministry from New York Theological Seminary. She is currently actively retired and living in Maryland.

  • This 1-hour webinar, presented by Denise Hess, MDiv, BCC-PCHAC, will look at the caregiving landscape in the US and then take a close look at one of the best spiritual guides for the transformative power of caregiving, author and Catholic priest Henri Nouwen.

    With over 43 million caregivers in the US, it is very likely that many of us will experience the joys and challenges of providing care for a loved one at some point in our lives. Caregivers consistently report that caregiving can be one of the most stressful, yet also the most meaningful roles they have ever undertaken. Approaching caregiving as a spiritual endeavor can increase the likelihood that the role will be fulfilling, nourishing, and possibly transformative. This webinar will look at the caregiving landscape in the US and then take a close look at one of the best spiritual guides for the transformative power of caregiving, author and Catholic priest Henri Nouwen. After exploring Nouwen’s unique vision for caregiving, we will focus on the necessity of self-compassion to avoid caregiver burnout. Webinar participants will learn a self-compassion practice for use in their own caregiving roles. 

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

    Denise Hess, MDiv, BCC-PCHAC

    Executive Director, Supportive Care Coalition

    Denise currently serves as the Executive Director of the Supportive Care Coalition - a partnership of Catholic health care ministries from across the U.S. committed to advancing excellence in palliative care. Denise comes to the Coalition with over a decade of experience in palliative care clinical practice and organizational leadership. She is also a licensed psychotherapist, an ordained Presbyterian minister, and a palliative care chaplain. She is happily married with two amazing adult children.

  • 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.

    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.

    Edward Owen Jr., BS, PGDip, MA, LNHA

    Faculty, Avila Institute of Gerontology, Inc.

    Ed is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator in two states, with more than 40 years of both clinical and administrative experience in healthcare. He holds a BS in Health Care Administration from Excelsior College, a PGDip in Dementia Studies from the University of Bradford, and an MA of Theology from Saint Leo University. Additionally, Ed is an ordained permanent deacon in the Catholic Church and is assigned to Saint Benedict Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia.

  • 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.

    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.


    Clare L. Horn, LCSW

    Clare L. Horn received her undergraduate degree from Marymount College, Tarrytown, NY, a M.S. Ed. from Hofstra University and a M.S.W. from Fordham University where she also completed her doctoral courses. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York State. She holds membership in the Academy of Certified Social Workers and National Association of Social Workers. 

    She has worked with the elderly and served as Director of Social Work for over 25 years in Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Centers. In November 2016 under Ms. Horn’s leadership at The New Jewish Home the dementia unit received Comfort Matters Accreditation. Ms. Horn has educated staff and families in palliative care and the ‘person-directed care’ program.  She has presented at conferences and meetings on topics related to social work, dementia, palliative and person- centered care. 

    She currently serves on the board directors of Marian Woods, Marian Woods, an Adult Care Facility and Convent for religious women in Westchester County. She is on the faculty of the Avila Institute of Gerontology

  • In this webinar, Dr. Sasha will explain how our bodies and minds work and how we can use what we know to maximize the function of those we serve, regardless of their age or disability. She will also work with the audience to provide real-time examples of how they can best approach issues they are dealing with concerning themselves and their residents.

    In this webinar, Dr. Sasha will explain how our bodies and minds work and how we can use what we know to maximize the function of those we serve, regardless of their age or disability. She will also work with the audience to provide real-time examples of how they can best approach issues they are dealing with concerning themselves and their residents. 

    Dr. Sasha Speer, DPT

    Physical Therapist and Artist

    Dr. Sasha Speer, DPT is a physical therapist and an artist. She has worked with patients ages 18-106 around the country since 2008, treating a variety of diagnosis from spinal cord injuries to pneumonia and back pain. In her experiences, she found that her love of the human body and her love of art created a more positive, uplifting, healing experience for her patients. She is bringing both gifts together with her Dr. Sasha brand to uplift, inspire, and heal.

     Dr. Sasha gained a more profound understanding of the power of the human mind in relation to healing beginning in 2012, when her own body failed her after the passing of her father. She found herself as an expert of the human body in a world of medicine, lacking the answers she needed to heal. After seeking advice from physicians, surgeons, therapists, and other practitioners, she realized her answer was not within the traditional medical practices. Desperate to heal her body, Dr. Sasha delved into reading book after book, and bit by bit she was not only able to finally heal herself but she found she was having a more profound impact on the patients she treated. She now incorporates mindset practices in her healing as she feels it is the most critical factor to healing and feeling whole.

    Dr. Sasha has brought these practices into two programs: Strong & Steady, addressing the needs of the frail elderly, which was co-created with help from the Sisters and Staff at the Carondelet Center in Los Angeles; and YOUNGER, a daily mindset and exercise program geared at preventing many of the signs and symptoms of aging.