Agenda del evento

Presentación Magistral y Sesión de Apertura

Chiaroscuro: Finding Light in the Darkness of Caregiving. Reframing the Nature of Caring in Modern Society

Timothy G. Ihrig, MD, MA; CEO of Ihrig MD & Associates

• Join Dr. Ihrig as he shares about his experience being a caregiver, physician, friend, teacher, and eldest son caring for his mother and father. Through stories and personal anecdotes, Dr. Ihrig will address social and ethical questions our society faces today related to the growing aging population and systems meant to care for them, plus what it means to truly care for other people.

Putting the “Team” in Care Team

Speakers: TBD

• Learn how to take a team approach in caregiving. During this session, caregivers share lessons in setting boundaries, asking for help, and preventing burnout so relationships don't get consumed by day-to-day caregiving tasks. Participants will be introduced to scripted conversations and strategies to widen their circle of care support, mitigating the risks of caregivers losing themselves in their role.

The Final Chapter: Dementia Care at the End of Life

Speaker: Melanie Bunn, MS, RN, Dementia Alliance of North Carolina; Loy Campbell. MS, OTR/L, Dementia Alliance of North Carolina

• Explore physical, sensory, emotional, and cognitive changes that often occur near the end of life for people living with dementia, and the supportive responses a care partner can use. Specific attention and opportunity for practice will be paid to communication and hands-on care techniques for comfort and personal care.

Helping EMS Help You: How to Prepare for a 911 Emergency

Speaker: Capt. Helen Tripp, MIH Program Manager

• Calling 911 can be intimidating and confusing. Join us to learn more about the purpose of the 911 center and what happens when you call. You will learn how to prepare for a 911 call to ensure emergency responders have all the information they need before and during their arrival to your home.

Through the Lens of Love: A Daughter’s Journey of Care, Connection, and Cancer

Facilitator: Nancy Borowick

• When both of her parents were diagnosed with cancer, photographer Nancy Borowick became a caregiver and storyteller. She shares her family's journey through love, loss, and resilience, revealing how creativity and compassion helped her navigate the challenges of caregiving and find beauty in the hardest moments.

Hacerlo bien: Herramientas legales para incapacidad y fallecimiento

Ponentes: Abogados Mark O. Costley y Jonathan D. Williams, Clarity Legal Group

• Infórmese sobre cuestiones legales y herramientas relacionadas con incapacidad y muerte, incluidas herramientas de planificación patrimonial como poderes notariales, directivas de atención médica, testamentos y fideicomisos. Además, en esta sesión se abordará el papel de la tutela y por qué debe evitarse si es posible, así como la planificación de la elegibilidad para beneficios de atención a largo plazo, como Medicaid.

The Art of Kintsugi: Finding Beauty in Brokenness

Speaker: Bridget Pemberton-Smith, ATR-BC, ATCS

• In this workshop, participants will learn about the history of the Japanese art of kintsugi and how it applies to real-life experiences, especially grief. For the second part of the session, art therapist Bridget Pemberton-Smith will lead the group in a kintsugi-inspired art activity, creating a magnet to serve as a reminder that there is beauty in brokenness.

Caregiving Through the Lens of Parkinson's Disease

Speaker: Anne Kosem, MSW, LCSW, Duke Movement Disorders Clinic; Maggie Ivancic, MSW, LCSW, UNC Movement Disorders Center

• This session focuses on supporting caregivers of individuals with Parkinson's Disease by teaching coping skills, and discussing how to build an interdisciplinary team. Participants will explore practical strategies for self-care, emotional resilience, and effective communication, and learn how to access community resources and support networks.

Resources - Don’t Leave Anything on the Table

Speaker: Janeli McNeal, MSW, LCSW-A, Duke Dementia Family Support Program

• Learn what resources are available in North Carolina for families seeking respite support — a temporary break for caregivers.

Grief 101 for the Caregiver

Speakers: Anthony Nicholas Galanos, MA, MD, Professor of Medicine, Duke Geriatric Medicine and Palliative Medicine

• Grief is not just about loss of life but loss of relationships or roles. Caregivers are known to experience both 'anticipatory grief' and 'ambiguous grief'. This talk will emphasize the caregiver.

Seeing More Than Loss -- An Ability-Based Approach to Care

Ponente: Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, ECHM; fundadora de Positive Approach to Care™ y Snow Approach Foundation.

• Look at dementia through a different lens by focusing on the abilities that remain rather than what is lost. This simple shift opens up significant possibilities to improve care and support. We will explore this shift through the GEMS States of Brain Change, with each state corresponding to a particular gemstone. The GEMS States recognize the shifts in skills and abilities that occur for all individuals in different moments, not just those living with brain change. The session will address the different characteristics of each GEMS State, and will then discuss the most effective ways to offer support for each state, with the goal of improving interactions and relationships.

Investment Fraud: Guarding Your Assets in a Scary World

Speaker: John Maron, Director, Investor Protection and Education Services, NC Department of the Secretary of State

• Avoid becoming a victim of investment fraud! Join us and learn how to recognize and avoid possible investment fraud. Learn how to do your due diligence and the questions to ask your investment professional. This seminar will help you to understand what to do if you become a victim of an investment scam. Information will also be presented on how you can register your advance health care directives with the Secretary of State office so that you or your caregiver can access them at any time from anywhere in the world.

Straight from the Experts: Hear from the Care Partners

Facilitator: Natalie Leary, MSW, LCSW, Director, Duke Dementia Family Support Program & A family of Care Partners

• During this session, family care partners will share observations and wisdom gained from their experience caring for a loved one.

Yoga de la Risa: La risa como medicina

Ponente: Lisa Levine, Directora Senior de Programas, Dementia Alliance of North Carolina

• En esta sesión, reiremos juntos, incluso si es difícil encontrar la bendición en el desorden. El yoga de la risa combina ejercicios de risa con respiración de yoga. Es un concepto único donde cualquiera puede reírse sin razón, sin depender del humor, los chistes o la comedia.

Navigating Dementia Health Care

Speaker: Dr. Scott Robert, Alzheimer's Association Board member, caregiver, internist, assistant professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine; Lori Balog, Alzheimer's Association, Health Systems Director for NC, SC, and GA

• Dementia care involves navigating a complex health care system that includes primary care providers, specialists, social services, and medication management-often presenting challenges for caregivers and families. Physicians and other medical professionals play a central role on the care team for individuals living with dementia. This session provides practical tools for navigating the health care system and communicating effectively with care team members, helping ensure coordinated, high-quality care for the person living with dementia.

Seeing More Than Loss - An Ability-Based Approach to Care

Ponente: Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, ECHM; fundadora de Positive Approach to Care™ y Snow Approach Foundation.

• Look at dementia through a different lens by focusing on the abilities that remain rather than what is lost. This simple shift opens up significant possibilities to improve care and support. We will explore this shift through the GEMS States of Brain Change, with each state corresponding to a particular gemstone. The GEMS States recognize the shifts in skills and abilities that occur for all individuals in different moments, not just those living with brain change. The session will address the different characteristics of each GEMS State, and will then discuss the most effective ways to offer support for each state, with the goal of improving interactions and relationships.