NJ Continuing Education Booklet

MODULE 1

Communicating Creatively, A Multi-Modal Approach to Facilitating Expression, Comprehension, and Retention for Clients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia

2.0 Course Contact Hours

Approved for Social Workers, Certified Case Managers, and Certified Care Managers

Participants learn modified communication techniques for the elderly and memoryimpaired, exploring applications of multiple therapeutic modalities for the facilitation of creative expression, comprehension, and retention. This course can empower learners with the tools to connect quickly and effectively with clients throughout the stages of progression.

MODULE 2 Overcoming Apathy: a framework for supporting individuals living with cognitive change

1.5 Course Contact Hours

Approved for Social Workers, Certified Case Managers, and Certified Care Managers

Apathy is one of the most common changes in behavior amongst individuals living with Alzheimer's Disease and related dementia, with an approximate prevalence of 80% in clients in facilities and between 27 and 36% in clients living at home. This presentation features evidence-based techniques to support new learning, initiation, and decisionmaking.

MODULE 3 Sleeping More Soundly

1.5 Course Contact Hours

Approved for Social Workers, Certified Case Managers, and Certified Care Managers

Learn more about the science of sleep, and strategies to promote it. Do you have a client or loved one spending most of his or her night up instead of sleeping? Are you receiving complaints from aides or care-partners about being unable to rest because they are exhausted after having only short periods of sleep throughout the night? Join us as we discuss four ideas to promote better sleep for an individual living with memory impairment -- and you!

MODULE 4 Walking in the Shoes of the "Wanderer"

1.5 Course Contact Hours

Approved for Social Workers, Certified Case Managers, and Certified Care Managers

Is your client or patient really wandering or is there meaning behind the behavior?

Participants of this course will learn strategies and resources to recognize risk and intervene proactively to meet the needs of clients at risk for "excessive walking," "leaving unattended," and other high-risk behavior related to walking about.

MODULE 5

Understanding Parkinson’s Disease and Supporting Clients to Live Well After Diagnosis

2.0 Course Contact Hours

Approved for Social Workers, Certified Case Managers, and Certified Care Managers

Participants will learn about specific features of Parkinson’s and discuss strategies on how to live well with the symptoms. This presentation will explore evidence-based, non-pharmacological treatments for Parkinson’s Disease. It features key resources and accessible programs to share with clients to support their continued engagement with interests, passions, and goals.

MODULE 6

Are we relying too heavily on medications to treat distressing behaviors?

1.5 Course Contact Hours

Approved for Social Workers, Certified Case Managers, and Certified Care Managers

Participants will discuss common symptoms leading to the prescription of psychotropic medications during transitions of care for persons living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, as well as social determinants that can impact usage.

Participants will explore distressing actions and expressions through the biopsychosocial framework. Four evidence-based, nonpharmacological interventions will be presented.

MODULE 7

Persons Living with Dementia and End of Life Care

2.0 Course Contact Hours

Participants will discuss the signs of endstage dementia. Participants will explore the importance of advance directives and the complications of nutrition at the end of life. Participants will gain knowledge of care options for end of life care.

Approved for Social Workers, Certified Case Managers, and Certified Care Managers

MODULE 8 How can we approach the challenges of falls? How do we have a conversation with families about the risk of falls?

2.0 Course Contact Hours

Approved for Social Workers, Certified Case Managers, and Certified Care Managers

Participants will explore why people fall.

Participants will discuss evidenced-based and creative solutions to prevent or minimize falls. Participants will have an open discussion about Fall Risk Assessments and whether they are really working, as well as what they tell us.

MODULE 9

Dementia-related Distress: Exploring a NonPharmacological Framework for Intervention

2.0 Course Contact Hours

Approved for Social Workers, Certified Case Managers, and Certified Care Managers

Participants of this live, interactive webinar will explore human behavior in the social environment in the context of persons living with dementia, specifically regarding factors that can contribute to critical incidents such as leaving unattended, persistent declinations of personal care, and chronic concerns such as sleep disruption. Presenters will share two evidence-based frameworks—The Arousal Cycle/Traffic Light Intervention Framework and The DICE Approach—for assessing, intervening, and evaluating nonpharmacological interventions in the provision of collaborative dementia care. Through case studies and group work, participants will practice the implementation of the Arousal Cycle and DICE Approaches, with opportunities for feedback.

MODULE 10

Guiding Through Change: Supporting people living with dementia through Life Transitions

2.0 Course Contact Hours

Approved for Social Workers, Certified Case Managers, and Certified Care Managers

Participants will learn strategies for supporting clients and their care-partners to work through decisionmaking about and adapting to life transitions. Whether moving between community services, downsizing to a smaller environment, experiencing the loss of a driver’s license, friend or spouse, change affects us all.

Participants will have the opportunity to share best practices for empowering those living with cognitive change due to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia during transitions/discharges from clinical settings. Presenters will share strategies for framing conversations about these transitions and decision aids that may be helpful to support Advanced care planning conversations.

MODULE 11

Understanding Vascular Dementia

1.25 Course Contact Hours

Approved for Social Workers, Certified Case Managers, and Certified Care Managers

Vascular brain change is one of the most common drivers of symptoms of dementia among Americans. Participants of this course will learn about the various types of vascular dementia and behavioral changes and symptoms associated, pathways for stroke recovery, communication strategies and support for care partners, and opportunities for meaningful engagement.

MODULE 12*

Management of Dementia and Delirium in Older Adults

1.5 Course Contact Hours

Approved for Social Workers, Certified Case Managers, and Certified Care Managers

While delirium can occur in patients of any age, older patients with cognitive impairment, severe medical illness, or a hip fracture are considered at greatest risk for negative outcomes. Delirium is associated with higher risk of falls, increased length of hospital stay, and higher risk of death. Clinicians attending session will understand key features of dementia, delirium, and comorbid delirium and dementia, as well as evidence-based assessment and intervention for each.