Webinars

Recorded Webinars


Prolonged Grief Disorder and its Treatment


Presented by Natalia Skritskaya, PhD

When losing a loved one, grief is an expected, normal process to experience. However, an estimated 7% to 10% of bereaved adults experience severe, persistent symptoms that interfere with everyday living activities. The American Psychiatric Association calls this prolonged grief disorder.

In this webinar, Natalia Skritskaya, PhD, describes a model of grief and adaptation to loss derived from clinical and experimental research. She discusses the new diagnosis of prolonged grief disorder and differentiates this condition from major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Also, she introduces prolonged grief disorder treatment (previously known as complicated grief treatment), an evidence-based, efficacious psychotherapy for prolonged grief disorder.

Participants in this webinar will be able to:

  • Recognize the main features of prolonged grief disorder.
  • Describe how grief is different from depression or PTSD.
  • List one of the goals of prolonged grief disorder treatment.

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Sponsored by Right at Home.



Aging and Mental Health: Interventions to Address Loneliness and Social Isolation


Presented by Marla Berg-Weger, Ph.D., LCSW

Mental health problems are not a normal part of the aging process, yet more than 20% of adults ages 55 and older have a mental health concern that could lead to further health disparities and diminished quality of life, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This session introduces definitions, prevalence, risk factors, and the social, physical and mental health impacts of loneliness and social isolation on older adults, followed by successful assessments and interventions to integrate into care settings. The discussion also focuses on intervention strategies at the community and individual levels, including a non-pharmacological evidence-based intervention, Circle of Friends, shown to decrease loneliness, social isolation, and associated physical and mental health challenges.

Participants in this webinar will be able to:

  • Recognize risks and predictors of age-related loneliness and social isolation.
  • Integrate assessment strategies for loneliness and social isolation into practice.
  • Apply intervention strategies to minimize the impact of loneliness and social isolation.
  • Identify criteria for non-pharmacologic interventions to address loneliness and social isolation.

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Sponsored by Right at Home.



Aging Solo: Unique Considerations for a Growing Segment of the Population


Presented by Carol Marak

Nearly 27% of Americans older than age 65 live alone. While this population shares the same concerns and challenges of older adults who are aging with a partner or who have adult children nearby, clinicians, home health aides, social workers and senior service providers need to be alert to the issues unique to those patients and clients who are aging solo. For instance, maintaining independence; safeguarding health; fostering physical and mental activity; building a supportive network, socialization and relationships; financial planning; and having access to transportation can require more detailed and advanced planning and execution for adults aging solo.  

In anticipation of a growing population of adults aging solo, whether childless or living at a distance from their adult children, clinicians and senior providers must understand the complexities and barriers to serving this population to provide ideal care. Furthermore, it’s even more important to educate patients, clients and even caregivers on strategies that promote successful solo aging.

In this timely and practical webinar, Carol Marak will help clinicians expand their understanding of issues and challenges unique to older adults aging solo, as well as give them a broader understanding of what is required when evaluating the care plans of such older adults.

Learning Objectives
Participants in this webinar will be able to:

  • Define aging solo and the rate at which this community is growing.
  • Recognize the risks and challenges seniors face in aging solo.
  • Discuss the different planning strategies to proactively prepare for aging solo.

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Sponsored by Right at Home.



Non-pharmacologic Interventions for Cognition in Older Adults


Presented by Benjamin M. Hampstead

The true and perceived cognitive effects of aging have been well-studied for decades, yet there has been shockingly little emphasis on methods for prolonging or enhancing cognition. In this practical webinar for the multidisciplinary care team, Dr. Benjamin Hampstead will examine three promising non-pharmacologic treatment approaches—the effects of exercise, cognition-oriented treatments including cognitive rehabilitation and cognitive training, and neuromodulation. These methodologies apply to cognition in older adults across the “healthy” to dementia spectrum. Dr. Hampstead’s discussion will include evidence that supports or refutes these cognitive effects, complemented by data showing structural and/or functional changes in the brain that may predict and/or reflect treatment effects. The discussion will integrate dose-response and other vital treatment parameters.

Learning Objectives
Participants in this webinar will be able to:

  • Describe evidence supporting cognitive and structural/functional brain changes following exercise in older adults.
  • Implement different approaches to cognition-oriented treatments and compare the conditions under which these approaches may be beneficial.
  • Explain and distinguish the types of neuromodulation currently in use with older adults.

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Sponsored by Right at Home.



Aging and Addiction: A Disease with Many Faces


Presented by Debra Jay

As large swaths of our population age — Baby Boomers will all be 65 or older by 2030, followed closely behind by Generation X — the percentage of older adults will make it highly likely that all helping professions working with adults will encounter a higher percentage of older adult clients. The U.S. Census predicts 21% of Americans will be over age 65 by 2030. Treatment centers specializing in older adults define this group as age 55 and older, raising the percentages even higher.

Addiction is a complex disease that presents with many barriers to treatment. The complexities and barriers increase within older populations. Intervening, assessing, and treating addicted older adults properly requires a specific skill set that most people in helping professions do not possess. Yet, they will be faced with a growing number of cases requiring these services.

This presentation will help attendees expand their understanding of the scope of the problem of addiction in older adults, as well as give them a broader understanding of what is required when assessing addiction in older adults. It will provide an understanding of what steps the health care team can take and the importance of including family whenever possible. They will learn how to think about what creates lasting change and what doesn't. Attendees will also be provided with sharable, no cost resources that use technology to provide action-based information to family members who are key partners in helping older loved ones get appropriate treatment and support. Hidden ageism, a barrier to helping older adults, will also be challenged by examining myths.

Learning Objectives
Participants in this webinar will be able to:

  • Articulate challenges addiction presents to professionals working with older adults and analyze some limiting factors dictated by their particular profession.
  • Discuss a wider range of signs and symptoms of addiction in older adults and key factors in assessing the scope of the addiction.
  • Explain what creates lasting behavior change and what doesn't, as well as the importance of distinguishing the difference between behaviors and outcomes.
  • Examine how hidden ageism can influence how families and professionals address an older adult's addiction and how to challenge these belief systems.
  • Demonstrate how, in less than a minute, any professional can provide a thorough, action-based information source using smartphones, providing family members with the tools they need — at no cost — to guide them through the process before, during, and after treatment for their older adult. (A noncommercial resource requiring no identifying information from the user and using no cookies.)

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Sponsored by Right at Home.



Polypharmacy and the Elderly


Presented by Michael J. Schuh, B.S., Pharm.D., MBA, FAPhA

What is polypharmacy? There are many definitions of polypharmacy. One all-encompassing definition for our purposes is, one patient's simultaneous use of multiple medications and/or supplements to treat one or more medical conditions. The medication-related problems (MRPs) that may result from polypharmacy significantly increase the risk of poor medical outcomes and the cost of healthcare.

Polypharmacy is a common medication management challenge in the elderly population. Adults older than age 65 often have more chronic and acute medical conditions than younger people, so older adults take more medications to treat these many conditions. This, in turn, creates more opportunity for adverse drug reactions (ADRs), drug interactions (DIs) and other MRPs to occur. Elderly patients may have declining renal and liver functions to metabolize medications, may have declining cognition, and may be less able to ambulate in a normal fashion, increasing the risk of falls. As the senior population grows, so will MRPs, giving rise to an increased need for specialists who can help manage polypharmacy.

In this timely and practical webinar for the multidisciplinary care team, Dr. Michael J. Schuh, B.S., Pharm.D., MBA, FAPhA, will provide an overview of polypharmacy, including its risk factors and an examination of the associated poor medical outcomes. Additionally, Dr. Schuh will provide strategies for the care team to mitigate MRPs, ADRs and DIs, and will examine case studies to help put these learnings into practice.

Learning Objectives
Participants in this webinar will be able to:

  • Describe the clinical and healthcare cost impact of polypharmacy.
  • Discuss the risks involved with polypharmacy.
  • Implement effective strategies to minimize MRPs associated with polypharmacy.

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Sponsored by Right at Home.



Social Isolation among Older Persons


Presented by Dr. Sandra Edmonds Crewe, MSW, PhD, ACSW

Social isolation is a growing health crisis. Despite its name, it is in plain view and begs attention. With the growing number of older persons who are at risk, health professionals and caregivers should be on alert to identify and respond to symptoms. Eradicating social isolation is within our reach. Doing so can save lives.

Because of its overwhelming negative effects, eradicating social isolation is one of the 13 grand challenges identified by the profession of social work. Current research recognizes that social isolation is well documented for its detrimental effects on health and well-being across the life span. For older persons, researchers posit that up to 50% will have some experience with social isolation or loneliness. These data support the importance of increasing awareness of social isolation with the aim of intervening and increasing the quality of life of older persons across different cultures.

In this timely and practical webinar for the multidisciplinary care team, Dr. Sandra Edmonds Crewe will examine the clinical features of social isolation, with a particular focus on identifying and intervening in social isolation as experienced by older adults.

Learning Objectives
Participants in this webinar will be able to:

  • Understand social isolation and health effects
  • Identify risk factors of social isolation and social exclusion
  • Expand knowledge of promising interventions
  • Implement practices and interventions that can be used to eradicate social isolation

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Sponsored by Right at Home.



Hoarding Treatment:
Options and Outcomes for Older Adults


Presented by Catherine Ayers, PhD, ABPP

Hoarding Disorder was added to the DSM-V in 2013, but healthcare professionals and other members of the care team continue to face significant challenges when implementing interventions for individuals with this mental health disorder. Because the clinical recognition of Hoarding Disorder is relatively new, few healthcare professionals have extensive training in the diagnosis and treatment of Hoarding Disorder. Additionally, Hoarding Disorder is a challenging mental health issue, particularly in older adults who hoard.

This webinar will examine the clinical features of Hoarding Disorder and will set forth evidence-based treatment options for individuals with Hoarding Disorder, with particular focus on interventions for older adults. Discussion of the roles of the multidisciplinary care team, as well as local responses to hoarding in the community, and available resources will be discussed. The multidisciplinary care team will leave the event with actionable strategies to improve care for individuals struggling with Hoarding Disorder.

Learning Objectives
Participants in this webinar will be able to:

  • Apply the DSM-5 TR criteria for Hoarding Disorder in a clinical setting and demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics uniquely associated with Hoarding Disorder in older adults.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the distinctive features, deficits, and treatment of Hoarding Disorder.
  • Utilize and implement five techniques when interacting with an older adult presenting with Hoarding Disorder.

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Sponsored by Right at Home.



Improving Care Transitions:
Data and Strategies to Achieve Success


Presented by Katherine Watts, LMSW, ACM-SW, and Kelly A. Tappenden, PhD, RD

Interventions to improve care transitions and reduce hospital readmissions must be patient-centered and address social determinants in addition to medical needs so that patients can stay in their homes. Patient-centered care focuses on the patient's physical comforts and emotional wellbeing. Social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age and include factors like physical environment, social support, and access to health care.

Interventions that use a patient-centered approach can lead to improved health outcomes and reduced expenses throughout the care continuum. Successful and effective care transitions require the involvement of and execution by numerous members of the care team including doctors, nurses, exercise physiologists or physical therapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, psychologists, social workers, case managers and caregivers.

This webinar will include an examination of the data relating to and characteristics of successful care transition programs. The multidisciplinary care team (MDs, RNs, PTs, OTs, RDNs, Social Work professionals) will leave the event with actionable strategies to improve transitional care.

Learning Objectives
Participants in this webinar will be able to:

  • Discuss the latest data relating to transitional care interventions in relation to health outcomes and costs of care.
  • List common characteristics of successful transitional care programs.
  • Utilize patient-centered considerations of social determinants and specific medical needs in the discharge planning process.
  • Interface with members of the multidisciplinary care team to maintain continuity and coordination in successful care transition interventions.

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Sponsored by Right at Home.



Recorded Webinar

Home-Based Cardiac Rehab:
Designing an Effective Approach


Presented by Karen Collins, MS, RDN, CDN, FAND, and David Schopfer, MD

Home-based cardiac rehab is emerging as an effective alternative to hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation, with observed improvements in access, participation and outcomes. The design and implementation of a successful home-based cardiac rehab program requires the involvement of and execution by numerous members of the care team including doctors, nurses, exercise physiologists or physical therapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, psychologists, social workers, case managers and home care professionals. This webinar will provide an overview of home-based cardiac rehab programs and give the multidisciplinary care team ideas for designing and implementing a home-based cardiac rehab program.

Participants in this webinar will be able to:

  • Explain the recent literature supporting the case for home-based cardiac rehab
  • Identify and discuss three clinical cases that are appropriate for home-based cardiac rehab
  • Describe the approaches and tools necessary for effective implementation of home-based cardiac rehab
  • Differentiate the roles of the members of the care team in executing home-based cardiac rehab

Register Now »

Sponsored by Right at Home.