Caregivers Count! Virtual Conferences - Videos from 2020 to 2022
SESSION 1 - September 10, 2022 - Keynote: A Holistic Approach to Self-Care
Session 1 Description:
Enrich your caregiving soul by creating self-care habits that compliment your caregiver identity and lifestyle. Learn strategies on how to prioritize your emotional, physical, mental, financial, and spiritual well-being.
Jenn Chan, CSA®, CCC™, is the CEO & Founder of Senior Shower® Project, a startup gift
shop with a mission to celebrate family caregivers of older adults with a party. She sells caregiver greeting cards, creates senior shower party kits, curates caregiver gift boxes, and hosts virtual caregiver dance parties. Inspired by 10+ years of caregiving for her grandma, Jenn dedicates her career to elevate the family caregiver role with fun, love, and positivity. She believes caregiving is a lifestyle and becoming a senior caregiver is a life milestone worth celebrating.
As a Certified Senior Advisor and Certified Caregiving Consultant, Jenn works with local non-profit organizations that serve LGBTQ+ older adults, dementia caregivers, and young caregivers. She leads self-care workshops and facilitates social support groups.
Jenn Chan, CSA, CCC
Senior Shower Project
A Holistic Approach to Self-Care by Jenn Chan
SESSION 2 - September 17, 2022 - Strategies for Dementia Caregiving
Session 2 Description:
Understand the progression of dementia and the care you'll need to provide. Learn the PACE approach to dementia caregiving and discover new tools to address the challenges you encounter.
Tami Anastasia
Dementia Consultant
Tami Anastasia is a dementia consultant, educator and speaker. She is the author of Essential Strategies for the Dementia Caregiver: Learning to PACE Yourself. Tami holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling, a Certificate in Gerontology, and a Certificate in End of Life. She is a Certified Dementia Care Specialist and Certified Senior Advisor. For more than 30 years, Tami has provided counseling services, dementia guidance, emotional support, and care strategies to family and professional dementia caregivers.
In addition to her private practice, Tami facilitates several dementia caregiver support groups and has partnered with agencies throughout California to conduct educational workshops, trainings, and webinars. Tami is a sought-after speaker, frequently presenting before audiences at professional meetings, senior retirement centers, memory care and assisted living communities, health and wellness conferences, local colleges and universities, and public health organizations.
Tami has been a guest on local television and radio shows and has published several articles on dementia and health-related topics.
Strategies for Dementia Caregiving by Tami Anastasia
SESSION 3 - September 24, 2022 - What Comes Next? An Introduction to Long-Term Care Decisions
Vanessa Souza is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a focus on supporting older adults. She has a particular interest in ensuring people living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and their family and friends have the knowledge needed to prepare for the future. She has worked as an assisted living administrator, memory care director, and as a social worker in adult day healthcare. Today, she works as the Senior Manager for Community Engagement at the Alzheimer's Association of Northern California and Northern Nevada. Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Seattle University and a Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University.
Vanessa Souza, LCSW
Alzheimer's Association
Session 3 - Description:
This presentation will discuss the differences between in-home care, residential care, and the spectrum in between. Learn strategies for making informed decisions about long-term care for your loved one, how to pay for them, how to know when it's time to take the next step, and how to take care of yourself as you navigate the world of long-term care.
What Comes Next? An Introduction to Long-Term Care Decisions by Vanessa Souza
SESSION 4 - October 1, 2022 - Fall Prevention and Home Safety
Session 4 - Description:
Dr. Schachner and the Santa Clara County Fire Department will be co-presenting this session.
Dr. Schachner believes that while many people write off falls as part of aging, we now know that suffering from a fall does not have to be a part of everyday life. Many factors can contribute to a fall, including behavioral challenges, physiological changes, medications, vision, and much more. The good news is that with proper awareness and strategies, most falls can be prevented. Come explore some of the reasons why people fall and learn ways you can stay healthier and safer as you age.
Learn important home fire safety tips and how to practice important safety habits to prevent fires and falls in the home. Learn the importance of creating a home escape plan, how to call 9-1-1 in an emergency and discover important community resources to help you and your family stay safe.
Dr. Jennifer Schachner
San Jose State University
Timpany Center
Jennifer Ceynowa
Santa Clara County
Fire Department
Jennifer Ceynowa has worked for the Santa Clara County Fire Department since 2015. She currently holds the position of Community Risk Specialist II within the Community Education & Risk Reduction Services Unit. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. She coordinates the department's CPR Program and teaches many of the Senior & Adult Center programs for fire prevention and safety. Prior to her role with the fire department, Jennifer was a 9-1-1 Dispatcher and prior to that role she worked in Administration at the local 9-1-1 ambulance provider for 12 years. She has been in the Santa Clara County EMS community teaching and working for over 22 years.
Dr. Schachner received her EdD from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and serves on the Silicon Valley Healthy Aging Partnership (SVHAP) Leadership Council. She is currently the Program and Operations Director of the Timpany Center SJSU focusing on Stress Management, Kinesiology, Adapted Physical Activity, and Taekwondo. She has a passion for falls prevention education for older adults and the caregiving community.
Falls Prevention and Home Safety
September 11, 2021 - 10am to 12pm - Keynote: Experiencing Healing as a Caregiver
Session #1 - Keynote: Experiencing Healing as a Caregiver
Description: Using her personal experience as a caregiver for her mom and her work with the Alameda County Care Alliance, Lyn-Tise will share about ways caregivers can care for themselves, find support, and experience healing.
Lyn-Tise Jones from Alameda County Care Alliance was her mother’s primary caregiver before she passed away from stage 4 cancer in February 2021. She is unwaveringly dedicated to ensuring equitable outcomes in underserved communities and serves in various sectors of the community, from working as a site coordinator and connector in educational facilities to serving as an active leader in the local government.
Lyn-Tise Jones
Experiencing Healing as a Caregiver by Lyn-Tise Jones
September 18, 2021 - 10am to 12pm - Caring For an Older Adult with Mental Health Needs
Session # 2: Caring For an Older Adult with Mental Health Needs
Description: Learn what the common definition and understanding of mental illness is, the importance of recognizing mental illness in older adults, the most common mental health issues among the elderly, factors that contribute to these mental illnesses, and how these mental health issues manifest. Most importantly, learn how you can help the older adult in your care that has these mental health needs, both from an emotional and an activity perspectives.
Click here for Presentation Slides
Teresa Sims is the Program Supervisor of two mental health programs for seniors at Gardner Health Services, the Storytelling and the In-Home Peer Respite programs. These are preventive programs that try to engage seniors who are isolated, inactive and possibly mildly depressed. Teresa is a licensed clinical social worker and has provided mental health services for older adults for the last ten years.
Teresa Sims
Teresa Gamez, MA is a mental health therapist in the CalWORKS program, and the Ethnic Wellness Center at Gardner Health Services. She is Latina, Spanish-English speaking, and mother of two teens. Teresa has a Master Degree in Counseling. The Ethnic Wellness Center is a preventive program serving the Latino and African Descendants communities. The EWC’s purpose is to develop awareness about mental health challenges in our families. In 2020, Teresa finished her internship at Bill Wilson Center where she provided Grief support for individuals and families from different cultural backgrounds.
Teresa Gamez, MA
Caring For an Older Adult with Mental Health Needs
September 25, 2021 - 10am to 12pm - Take Charge! Advance Care Planning
Session #3: Take Charge! Advance Care Planning
Description: Get the health care you want based on what matters most. This webinar will discuss how to talk about your wishes for care with the important people in your life, and cover how to choose someone to make health care decisions for you if you are unable to do so. The webinar will also cover how to write down your wishes using Advance Heath Care Directives and the Physician Order for Life Sustaining Treatment.
Mary Matthiesen is the Community Engagement and Education Director with Mission Hospice & Home Care in San Mateo – one of the original and still independent non-profit hospices in California. She has led awareness initiatives on end of life issues internationally, and supports the innovative educational offerings at Mission Hospice as well as her passion of engaging partners to co-create more compassionate communities for those living with serious illness, death and bereavement.
Mary Matthiesen
Take Charge! Advance Care Planning by Mary Matthiesen
October 2, 2021 - 10am to 12pm - Adult Daycare Reimagined
Session #4: Adult Daycare Reimagined
Description: This session provides an overview of adult day care options that range from structured socialization to those including physical therapy and other health options. You'll also learn about various adult day programs offered in the Bay Area.
Click Here for Ann's Presentation Slides
Ann Peterson, PhD is currently the Executive Director of Live Oak Adult Day Services overseeing four Adult Day Care Centers in Santa Clara County. She was previously the Program Director at one of those centers. She has many years experience working with older adults including as a staff psychologist/neuropsychologist at the Jewish Home and Hospital in the Bronx and as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan. Her doctoral training included fellowships at Mount Sinai and The Philadelphia Geriatric Center, along with a Neuropsychology internship at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. Before her doctoral training, she worked as an art therapist in San Jose at a sub-acute residential program for older adults.
Ann Peterson, PhD
Grace Li, MHA
Grace Li, CEO of On Lok, oversees a family of non-profit organizations that has served vulnerable seniors for 50 years. She joined On Lok in 2001 and served in a variety of leadership positions, including leading the growth and expansion of On Lok PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly). She was named CEO in 2016.
On Lok created the prototype for the PACE model of care and currently cares for over 1,650 frail seniors in the San Francisco Bay Area. On Lok also operates On Lok 30th Street Senior Center, the largest multi-purpose senior center in San Francisco, providing a range of health and wellness programs, social interaction, nutritious meals, education and case management to support the wellbeing of active older adults. This summer, On Lok will launch a new Adult Day Program targeted to serve LGBTQ+ seniors, co-designed in partnership with Openhouse and with the LGBTQ+ community to address many of the critical issues and cultural sensitivities for this community including access to much-needed aging services. On Lok continues to build on its history and expertise in both creating innovative models of care and serving diverse senior communities through integrated health and social services as a trusted partner in its communities.
Grace serves on the boards of directors of the National PACE Association, Eden Housing, Inc., and NICOS Chinese Health Coalition. She holds a Master of Health Administration from the University of North Carolina and Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Florida. Grace lives with her husband and son in the Bay Area. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, sports, travel, and spending quality time with her family.
Adult Daycare Reimagined
September 12, 2020 - 10am to 12pm - Emotional Well-Being
Dr. Barry J. Jacobs is a noted clinical psychologist and family therapist whose passion for enhancing support for family caregivers led him to author several books and dozens of articles on the topic as well as present and speak nationally and internationally to organizations, associations, and providers. He is the author of The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers—Looking After Yourself and Your Family While Helping an Aging Parent and co-author of AARP Meditations for Caregivers—Practical, Emotional and Spiritual Support for You and Your Family and the forthcoming Love and Meaning for Couples After 50. Dr. Jacobs also writes a monthly self-help column for family caregivers on AARP.org.
Dr. Barry Jacobs
Session #1 - Keynote: The 7 Essential Tasks for Caregiver Emotional Survival
Description: The over 40 million Americans who provide ongoing or occasional care for aging, ill or disabled loved ones experience a range of emotions, from sadness and guilt to joy and pride. In this plenary address, Barry J. Jacobs Psy.D.--a clinical psychologist, author of The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers, and an AARP.org columnist--will describe 7 tasks, including handling sacrifice and finding positive rewards, that are essential for all family caregivers to better manage their emotions and sustain themselves through caregiving. We'll share stories of common caregiver challenges and solutions for thriving during what may be a prolonged period of family loss and change.
The 7 Essential Tasks for Caregiver Emotional Survival by Dr. Barry Jacobs
September 19, 2020 - 10am to 12pm - Paying for Care
Janis A. Carney is the founder of The Law Offices of Janis A. Carney, where she focuses her practice on a holistic approach to law, covering many facets, including Elder Law, Estate Planning, Alzheimer’s & Long-Term Care Planning, Asset Protection, Medi-Cal planning, VA benefits planning, Trust Administration, and Probate Administration. Janis assists clients of all ages and stages from young families to the end stages of life. Janis is an expert in assisting elderly, disabled, or chronically ill, she is able to assess their situation and come up with a plan that stands up to their unique needs.
Janis Carney
Session # 2: Paying for Care
Description: How do you find the money for care? Learn about the various options which include paying out of pocket, long-term care insurance, selling assets, borrowing against the house, and public benefits.
Paying for Care by Janis Carney
September 26, 2020 - 10am to 12pm - Technology Tools
Christina Irving is the Client Services Director at Family Caregiver Alliance. She oversees the staff of the Bay Area Caregiver Resource Center who provide direct services to family caregivers, including assessment, counseling, education, and support. She has been with FCA for over 13 years, first as a Family Consultant and then as Clinical Supervisor. She received a Master’s degree in Social Work from San Jose State University and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
Christina Irving
Session #3: Technology Tools
Description: Gain a practical overview of how technology tools may help family caregivers provide care at home. Technology products like smart phone apps, communication aids, in-home sensors, and webcams can help make a home safer, and help reduce the caregiving workload. Learn how to determine what your needs are, the costs of tech tools, privacy considerations, and ease of use.
Technology Tools by Christina Irving
October 3, 2020 - 10am to 12pm - Reducing Stress & Dealing with Parents and Resistance
Dr. Barry J. Jacobs is a noted clinical psychologist and family therapist whose passion for enhancing support for family caregivers led him to author several books and dozens of articles on the topic as well as present and speak nationally and internationally to organizations, associations, and providers. He is the author of The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers—Looking After Yourself and Your Family While Helping an Aging Parent and co-author of AARP Meditations for Caregivers—Practical, Emotional and Spiritual Support for You and Your Family and the forthcoming Love and Meaning for Couples After 50. Dr. Jacobs also writes a monthly self-help column for family caregivers on AARP.org.
Dr. Barry Jacobs
Session #4a: Learning to Live and Cope with High Stress
Description: Family caregiving can be joyful but is almost always still stressful. In this interactive workshop, we'll discuss ways that caregivers can change their reactions to caregiving's challenges if they can't change caregiving's arduous circumstances. We'll practice breathing exercises, visualization, the 5 Senses and other forms of mindfulness that caregivers can easily learn and incorporate into their daily routines to better manage stress.
Alex has a Master’s degree and is a credentialed gerontologist with 25 years of experience working with individuals and families affected by dementia. She was the director of an assisted living, adult day program, a weekend retreat for brain injured adults and a State Certified Ombudsman. Alex has facilitated an early stage support group, interacting with people living with dementia on a weekly basis for the past 8 years. For the past 20 years, Alex has provided community and professional education for the Alzheimer's Association of Northern California.
Alex Morris
Session #4b: Dealing with Parents and Resistance
Description: Are you worried about how your aging parents are doing now that one or both of them have physical challenges or chronic illnesses? They say they are doing fine and that you shouldn’t worry. But you do worry. Come and learn techniques in overcoming resistance to accepting help.
