Bright Nights Community Forum: Support for Caregivers: Managing Behavioral Symptoms of Individuals with Dementia

When

Tuesday November 17, 2015: 7:00pm to 8:30pm  Add to Calendar /   Add to Google Calendar

Where

Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

Description

While many people think of dementia as a memory problem, what is not as well known is that behavioral problems like depression, anxiety, wandering, and aggression are seen in almost every person over the course of their illness. It is these behavioral symptoms that seem to cause the biggest problems in management, function, hospitalizations, nursing home placement, and also in caregiver outcomes like stress and depression.

To address this issue, researchers from the University of Michigan Program for Positive Aging have developed an innovative online tool called the WeCareAdvisor. The tool uses a step-by-step approach designed to assist with the assessment and management of behavioral symptoms, giving them a tailored ‘prescription’ for managing the behavior they are dealing with. It also includes safety considerations and strategies to help reduce caregiver stress.

To learn more about the impact of depression and anxiety on individuals with dementia, including strategies to prevent and manage stress in caregivers, the U-M Depression Center in collaboration with the Program for Positive Aging and the Ann Arbor District Library will present this discussion. Helen C. Kales, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Program for Positive Aging at the University of Michigan and Research Investigator at the VA Center for Clinical Management Research, will give a brief overview presentation highlighting the latest research on best practices for supporting individuals with dementia with challenging behaviors, including the innovative new WeCareAdvisor tool.

This will be followed by questions and discussion with a panel of experts including Cathleen Connell, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health; Mary Blazek, MD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School; and Laura M. Struble, PhD, GNP-BC, Clinical Associate Professor and Program Lead, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner & Clinical Nurse Specialist Programs, Department of Health Behavior and Biological Sciences, University of Michigan School of Nursing.