Age Well

When: Tuesday, Nov. 14, 10-11:30 a.m.

Where: Zoom

What: The dementia caregiver death rate is staggeringly high. Unless the Caregiver prepares to turn care giving and focus back toward themselves, their families lose BOTH the Care Recipient and the Caregiver; our communities lose wisdom and guidance. This session will prepare the caregiver for self-compassion, and will include self-measurement tools for anxiety, depression, stress, and grief.

Presented by: Dr. Tam Cummings, PhD

When: Tuesday, Dec. 12, 10-11:30 a.m.

Where: Zoom

What: How will you be remembered? When your journey ends, what will you leave behind? If you are like most people, the assessment of your legacy will focus on an inventory of your accumulated wealth. Although important, your legacy encompasses so much more! We leave behind the essence of how we chose to walk through this life. Who did we love? How did we love? What did we value? What were our priorities in life? How did we choose to serve others? What gifts did we offer to the world? These questions should be considered well before the end of life, before death precludes the possibility of generating a meaningful legacy. NOW is the time to share our experiences and acquired wisdom with subsequent generations to enhance and to promote the greater good. NOW is the time to share our stories — the greatest legacy we leave behind. By doing so, our life becomes more significant than our death — a good thing indeed.

Presented by: Jane W. Barton, author of Caregiving for the GENIUS, is a passionate national speaker, writer, and listener. As the founder of Cardinal, LLC, she provides educational programs, books, videos, podcasts, and blogs to assist people in confronting the daunting challenges posed by aging, serious illness, and the end of life. Jane is well versed in the areas of grief and bereavement, caregiving, hospice and palliative care, change and transition, and spirituality and health.

Previously, Jane served as Director of Education for a hospice and palliative care educational institution in Denver, Colorado. She has also served as a chaplain and bereavement facilitator in hospice and palliative care. Jane is a certified Spiritual Director as well as a Certified Senior Advisor. In a former life, she worked as a financial services representative and an exploration petroleum geologist and manager.

Date: Tuesday, Dec. 8, noon to 1:30 p.m.

Description: It doesn’t take much head-scratching to realize that much of our apprehension about growing older is actually about how our minds and bodies will change. Scratch some more and we uncover the social and political forces that feed and profit from these fears. Still Kicking, a 90-minute interactive workshop, delves into the nature of ageism and ableism, how they intersect and reinforce each other, and why it’s so important to dismantle the dread and dual stigma. To live is to age, and we age well not by avoiding disability but by adapting to it—a powerful, enriching, lifelong process that unites us all.

Presented by:

• An internationally recognized expert on ageism, Ashton Applewhite is the author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism. She speaks widely at venues that have included the United Nations and the TED mainstage and, written for Harper’s, the Guardian, and the New York Times, and is a leading spokesperson for a movement to mobilize against discrimination on the basis of age.
• Kyrié S. Carpenter is a coach and ageism activist. She fights ageism as a co-founder of OldSchool.info. She helped shift the tragedy only narrative of aging and dementia on the ChangingAging Tour and now as the editor of the ChangingAging Blog. Prior to this, she worked with older adults living in long-term care. In 2015 she traveled to all 50 states living in a van the culmination of which was founding a wellness center, Prosper.
• Ryan Backer is an age activist striving to undo ageism within an intersectional framework. They’ve been on this social justice path since 2013 and are a co-creator of OldSchool.info the anti-ageism clearinghouse. They’ve facilitated anti-ageism and age queer workshops in NYC, Berlin, Dublin, Philadelphia, Montreal, Louisville, and online.

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 16, Noon to 1 p.m.

Description: Talking about medical and end-of-life wishes is an important way we can all have more control in this uncertain time. At The Conversation Project, we want to help you start or continue your advance care planning journey.

Join us for a one-hour webinar covering advance care planning basics, documents, how COVID-19 has raised the stakes, and how to start these important conversation with those that matter most. We can help ensure your wishes are respected.

Presented by:

Amanda Meier is the project coordinator for The Conversation Project in Boulder County (TCPBC) at TRU Community Care. She is a social worker and gerontologist with a history of working in both long-term care and rehabilitation. In these settings, Amanda has gained experience with chronic illness case management, end-of-life issues, and advance care planning. At TCPBC, she works in the community to educate about advance care planning and help facilitate critical conversations. The end-of-life process and death are avoided topics in our culture. Amanda believes that encouraging people to think about personal values and to communicate them to their loved ones opens the door to changing perceptions about end-of-life.

Materials from the presentation:

• Medical Durable Power of Attorney
• Conversation Starter Kit
• Being Prepared in the Time of COVID-19

Check out more at The Conversation Project in Boulder County.

Presented by: Dr. Tam Cummings founded her company in 2009 with the mission to “Inspire, Educate, and Empower Dementia Caregivers.” Now her professional gerontology practice in the Texas Hill Country is recognized as one of the leading educators of dementia caregivers and program design for dementia care in Texas and nationally.

To date Dr. Cummings has:

• authored and published four books for dementia caregivers.
• speaks in national podcasts for dementia caregivers.
• developed the Dementia Behavioral Assessment Tool (DBAT) for staging dementias which resulted from 25 years of research in SNFs and memory care communities.
• developed a classification and staging tool for the behavioral, communication, and movement variations of the FTDs (Frontotemporal Dementias) – the only tool of its kind.
• recognized as the subject-matter-expert (SME) and program designer in a 2018-2019 CMP Project awarded to the Texas Health and Human Services. Cummings developed training for frontline staff to include clinical features of each major form of dementia, specific behaviors presented by different dementias, and correct approaches to ADL care for individual residents.
• selected as the SME to design and develop the training content for a 2016-2018 CMP with the Texas Health Care Association. This pilot program reduced the use of antipsychotic medications in SNFs by training professional and family caregivers to recognize the most common forms of dementia and the behaviors associated with each disease. Additional components included designing and teaching activity directors to implement appropriate activities for PWD, teaching family caregivers about dementias and offering Medical Education Credits for physicians.

Tam Cummings, PHD., attended Baylor, Texas A&M, and Concordia Universities. She was awarded degrees in journalism, social work, and gerontology. Her post-graduate studies are in educational psychology and rural public health. Dr. Cummings is a member of the National Association of Professional Gerontologists.

Date: Thursday, Jan 7, Noon to 1 p.m.

Description: One loss holds a multitude of other losses. Grief starts with a diagnosis and continues throughout the caregiving process and beyond. In this session we will be exploring and understanding all the ways that we grieve the big losses and secondary losses associated and how to support yourself through the grief process.

Presented by:

Julie Mahoney Thomas is a licensed professional counselor and has been in the field of death, dying, grief and loss for over 20 years. She has been working with hospice for the majority of her career, supporting those who are grieving through individual counseling and groups, as well as providing supervision and training to volunteers and professionals in the field. Julie holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology from University of Colorado, Denver. She is currently the Director of Grief Support Services at Halcyon Hospice which serves grieving people across the Front Range. Julie is passionate about educating the community about end of life and bereavement experiences. In her free time, she loves spending time in her flower garden, camping and hiking in nature with friends and her 12 y/o son.

Date: Tuesday, Jan. 19, Noon to 1 p.m.

Description: Colorado Health Institute (CHI) will be sharing findings from their recent research on Colorado’s direct care workforce. They will discuss the growing demand for direct care services in Colorado, challenges to recruitment and retention, and strategies that employers can use to better support and grow this workforce.” Check out more on CHI’s ‘Closing the Care Gap’ report page.

Presented by:

• Chrissy Esposito is a Policy Analyst at the Colorado Health Institute who leads qualitative and quantitative work on issues related to older adults in Colorado. Her areas of interest include housing, informal caregiving, and the need and accessibility of long-term care and support services for older adults.
• Julia Char Gilbert is a Research Analyst at the Colorado Health Institute, where she conducts research, evaluation, and legislative analysis. Her recent work includes research on opportunities to better support Colorado’s direct care workforce.

Date: Wednesday, Jan. 20, Noon to 1 p.m.

Description: The Boulder County Area Agency on Aging has been working with Changing the Narrative, a campaign to change the way people think, talk, and act about aging and ageism (defined by the World Health Organization as prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination based on age). The need to end ageism has perhaps never been more urgent, with COVID-era memes characterizing COVID as a “boomer remover,” and critical care standards that move older adults to the back of the triage line. The good news is that all of us can reduce ageism. In this interactive workshop, learn how you can combat ageism by using research-based communications strategies. Participants will learn how COVID-19 has exposed ageism; how ageism harms us and our communities; what the general public thinks about aging and older adults; how some word choices inadvertently reinforce negative stereotypes about older adults; and communication strategies that promote age-friendly attitudes and support for age-friendly policies.

Presented by:

Kari Middleton leads reframing aging efforts at Boulder County Area Agency on Aging, in addition to serving as the agency’s volunteer manager. She specialized in philosophy of language while completing a Ph.D. in philosophy at Syracuse University and went on to coauthor several philosophy books for the layperson. Kari taught at the university level before feeling the call to work for causes at nonprofits and/or government, starting with her local animal shelter. She has worked in communications for a nonprofit, has extensive experience in volunteer program development and management, and over five years’ experience as a human resources analyst. Kari has worked for the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging for over four years and is passionate about using communication strategies to foster positive systems change.

Date: Thursday, Jan. 21, noon – 1:30 p.m.

Description: Many of us, at some point, will need some support with making the complex decisions related to the things that we do every day from preparing a meal to making appointments to balancing our checkbooks. How do we get this support, who can we trust and how do we make sure that this is set up appropriately? There are a variety of ways to do this, Power of Attorneys and Guardianships are some examples but it’s hard to decipher when each is appropriate. Further, a person that is assigned this responsibility may not receive adequate instruction about how to be a good representative. Please join us to discuss the details of each of these decision making mechanisms, the pros and cons and the best practices of each.

Presented by:

Erica Corson is the Elder Rights program manager with the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging. She has been with the county for 11 years, spending much of this time advocating for residents of assisted livings and nursing homes. Working with caregivers, families, and loved ones has provided Erica with an intimate understanding of the role and challenges involved with substitute decision makers. Erica also works with caregiver programs, LGBTQ+ programming for older adults, and elder abuse education and awareness.

Brooke Brestel, Esq., is a founding partner of Brestel Bucar, Ltd where her practice focuses on all aspects of Elder Law including guardianships and conservatorships, fiduciary representation, estate planning, and probate litigation. She also serves as court-appointed counsel for respondents, and as Guardian Ad Litem in protective proceedings. An active member of the Colorado Bar Association, Ms. Brestel chaired the Elder Law Section and co-chaired the section’s subcommittee on the Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Other Protective Arrangements Act. Ms. Brestel is a graduate of the University of Nebraska, and the University of Kansas School of Law.

Anne B. Jorgensen practices in areas of estate planning, trust litigation, probate, conservatorship and guardianships. In addition, she handles matters involving VA aid, and is an accredited attorney by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Always creative, genuine, and tenacious, she makes every effort to meet the various needs of her clients. Anne believes educating her clients empowers them to make better informed decisions for themselves and their loved ones.

Date: Monday, Jan. 25, noon to 1 p.m.

Description: Scammers tried to be very creative in 2020: they came after our stimulus checks, used our identities to get unemployment benefits, and impersonated government agencies to try to get our money and personal information. Undoubtedly they’ll have new tricks in 2021. As always, your best tool to ward off scams is you. At this presentation by the Community Protection Division of the Boulder County District Attorney’s office, you’ll learn about the newest scams on the horizon in 2021, and about the practical steps you can take to keep safe from scams, identity theft and unwanted calls.

Presented by:

Lizbeth Parker has been the Specialist in the Community Protection Division of the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office since 2017, after spending the previous 20-plus years as a teacher and attorney in private practice. She routinely handles consumer complaints and reports of fraud and financial exploitation from community members, and provides education and outreach on fraud, scams and abuse and financial exploitation of older adults throughout the community, all in an effort to help prevent our community members from becoming victims of crime.

Date: Wednesday, Jan. 27, Noon to 1 p.m.

Description: Our current experience of COVID-19 highlights the fact that change is an inherent part of life. In fact, the only constant in life is change – a reality that family caregivers know all too well. When dealing with a serious, chronic, and/or terminal disease, caregivers and care receivers can be overwhelmed by a never-ending series of changes. As a result, many people experience change fatigue rooted in fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. So, what can we do to navigate this journey of caregiving effectively? First, understand the process of change. Second, embrace the fact that self-care is an essential daily practice. Third, recognize what is within your control and what is not. And finally, rely on your resilience, response, and ritual to proactively deal with change and uncertainty.

Presented by:

Jane W. Barton, author of Caregiving for the GENIUS, is a passionate national speaker, writer, and listener. As the founder of Cardinal, LLC, she provides educational programs, books, videos, podcasts, and blogs to assist people in confronting the daunting challenges posed by aging, serious illness, and the end of life. Jane is well versed in the areas of grief and bereavement, caregiving, hospice and palliative care, change and transition, and spirituality and health. She presents innovative, transformational programs to community members, healthcare providers, pastoral caregivers, clergy, funeral service providers, and national audiences. As a local caregiving and aging expert, Jane collaborates with AARP Colorado to offer educational programs throughout the state of Colorado (2014 – 2021). Previously, Jane served as Director of Education for a hospice and palliative care educational institution in Denver, Colorado. She has also served as a chaplain and bereavement facilitator in hospice and palliative care. Jane is a certified Spiritual Director as well as a Certified Senior Advisor. In a former life, she worked as a financial services representative and an exploration petroleum geologist and manager.

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 3, Noon to 1 p.m.

Description: If you’ve noticed how, especially during COVID, older adults are often described as weak and vulnerable, you’re not alone. Ageism, defined by the World Health Organization as prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination based on age, during the pandemic has taken forms that include the weak-and-vulnerable stereotype and suggestions that older adults should sacrifice themselves for the sake of the economy. Yet ageism is not new. The Boulder County Area Agency on Aging has been working with Changing the Narrative, a campaign to change the way people think, talk, and act about aging and ageism. Learn in this interactive workshop how COVID-19 has exposed ageism; how ageism harms our health, our financial security, and our communities; how to talk back when encountering ageism; how some words and phrases reinforce ageist stereotypes; how to talk effectively about aging, older adults, and COVID-19 to reduce ageism; and how to become involved in the movement to end ageism.

Presented by:

Kari Middleton leads reframing aging efforts at Boulder County Area Agency on Aging, in addition to serving as the agency’s volunteer manager. She specialized in philosophy of language while completing a Ph.D. in philosophy at Syracuse University and went on to coauthor several philosophy books for the layperson. Kari taught at the university level before feeling the call to work for causes at nonprofits and/or government, starting with her local animal shelter. She has worked in communications for a nonprofit, has extensive experience in volunteer program development and management, and over five years’ experience as a human resources analyst. Kari has worked for the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging for over four years and is passionate about using communication strategies to foster positive systems change.

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 10, noon to 1:15 p.m.

Description: Like many of you, BCAAA staff have been thinking, talking, and learning about racial equity and social injustice. What can we do to help ensure that our services are culturally and linguistically appropriate? We invite you to learn more about how the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging is working for racial equity and social justice.

Date: Thursday, April 29, noon – 1:15 p.m.

Description: While this presentation will cover topics specific to elder abuse, presenters will share information specific to burglary, car theft, and much more. Similar to the training for mandatory reporters, presenters will review the types of elder abuse and what to look out for when protecting our community’s older adults.

Presented by:

Chris Merkle is an investigator for the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office. He spent nearly 25 years working for the Longmont Police Department, the last seven years of his career were as a detective. He has a passion for investigations involving vulnerable adults. Chris is a national trainer for the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL). He also has been a part of local multidisciplinary teams to include, Adult Protection Review Team, and the Elder Justice Coalition.

Christian Gardner-Wood is the Director of Community Protection and Legislative Affairs and a Senior Deputy District Attorney for the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office. He has been a prosecutor for nearly 14 years. As the Director of Community Protection, he oversees all prosecutions in the DA’s Office involving at-risk victims, elder victims, significant economic crimes, and also oversees community outreach and policy initiatives for the Office. His passion is community engagement and prosecuting crimes involving vulnerable populations. He has trained extensively in the areas of elder abuse, mandatory reporting, child abuse, sex offenses, and human trafficking. He is the Chair of the Colorado Human Trafficking Council and is involved in local groups involving at-risk cases including the Adult Protection Review Team and the Elder Justice Coalition.

Date: Tuesday, May 4, 10-11:30 a.m.

Description: This first topic explains what dementia is and what is happening to the brain of a Person With Dementia (PWD). Using a cancer diagnosis and care as an example, staff members will be able to identify the need to treat dementias as distinct diseases of the brain, with predictable stages and behaviors.

Five questions about dementia every caregiver needs to understand about care and also to explain the dementia disease process to families are discussed. These five questions address the majority of complaints and concerns from family members and guides them to understand the disease is destroying their loved one’s brain and therefore is the causation of decline in their loved one and not a failure of care.

Presented by:

Dr. Tam Cummings founded her company in 2009 with the mission to “Inspire, Educate, and Empower Dementia Caregivers.” Now her professional gerontology practice in the Texas Hill Country is recognized as one of the leading educators of dementia caregivers and program design for dementia care in Texas and nationally.

To date Dr. Cummings has:

• authored and published four books for dementia caregivers.
• speaks in national podcasts for dementia caregivers.
• developed the Dementia Behavioral Assessment Tool (DBAT) for staging dementias which resulted from 25 years of research in SNFs and memory care communities.
• developed a classification and staging tool for the behavioral, communication, and movement variations of the FTDs (Frontotemporal Dementias) – the only tool of its kind.
• recognized as the subject-matter-expert (SME) and program designer in a 2018-2019 CMP Project awarded to the Texas Health and Human Services. Cummings developed training for frontline staff to include clinical features of each major form of dementia, specific behaviors presented by different dementias, and correct approaches to ADL care for individual residents.
• selected as the SME to design and develop the training content for a 2016-2018 CMP with the Texas Health Care Association. This pilot program reduced the use of antipsychotic medications in SNFs by training professional and family caregivers to recognize the most common forms of dementia and the behaviors associated with each disease. Additional components included designing and teaching activity directors to implement appropriate activities for PWD, teaching family caregivers about dementias and offering Medical Education Credits for physicians.

Tam Cummings, PHD., attended Baylor, Texas A&M, and Concordia Universities. She was awarded degrees in journalism, social work, and gerontology. Her post-graduate studies are in educational psychology and rural public health. Dr. Cummings is a member of the National Association of Professional Gerontologists.

Date: Thursday, May 20, noon-1:15 p.m.

Description: One of the most common fears as people age is a diagnosis of dementia. It is normal to worry about losing control of memory, personality, and decisions. Is advance care planning for dementia really possible? Join The Conversation Project in Boulder County to consider what can be prepared before a possible dementia diagnosis as well as how to honor a loved one who is already traveling on the dementia journey. This presentation will address current dementia advance directives as well as effective strategies to share healthcare values with those that matter most.

Presented by:

Amanda Meier is the project coordinator for The Conversation Project in Boulder County (TCPBC) at TRU Community Care. She is a social worker and gerontologist with a history of working in both long-term care and rehabilitation. In these settings, Amanda has gained experience with chronic illness case management, end-of-life issues, and advance care planning. At TCPBC, she works in the community to educate about advance care planning and help facilitate critical conversations. The end-of-life process and death are avoided topics in our culture. Amanda believes that encouraging people to think about personal value

Date: Tuesday, June 8, 10-11:30 a.m.

Description: Dementias attack and destroy the brain during the course of the disease. As each lobe of the brain becomes damaged, the Person With Dementia (PWD) will display different and unique behaviors indicating which lobe of the brain is being affected. Learn the lobes and what they should do and what they begin to do once cellular structures, neurotransmitters, and normal function are impaired.

The behaviors displayed by a PWD are actually clues to where the disease is and tell us what to expect next. Knowing these changes in brain function helps prepare care plans that incorporate the anticipated decline. Attendees will begin to understand the behaviors are not purposeful, but are a result of brain damage.

Presented by:

Dr. Tam Cummings founded her company in 2009 with the mission to “Inspire, Educate, and Empower Dementia Caregivers.” Now her professional gerontology practice in the Texas Hill Country is recognized as one of the leading educators of dementia caregivers and program design for dementia care in Texas and nationally.

To date Dr. Cummings has:

• authored and published four books for dementia caregivers.
• speaks in national podcasts for dementia caregivers.
• developed the Dementia Behavioral Assessment Tool (DBAT) for staging dementias which resulted from 25 years of research in SNFs and memory care communities.
• developed a classification and staging tool for the behavioral, communication, and movement variations of the FTDs (Frontotemporal Dementias) – the only tool of its kind.
• recognized as the subject-matter-expert (SME) and program designer in a 2018-2019 CMP Project awarded to the Texas Health and Human Services. Cummings developed training for frontline staff to include clinical features of each major form of dementia, specific behaviors presented by different dementias, and correct approaches to ADL care for individual residents.
• selected as the SME to design and develop the training content for a 2016-2018 CMP with the Texas Health Care Association. This pilot program reduced the use of antipsychotic medications in SNFs by training professional and family caregivers to recognize the most common forms of dementia and the behaviors associated with each disease. Additional components included designing and teaching activity directors to implement appropriate activities for PWD, teaching family caregivers about dementias and offering Medical Education Credits for physicians.

Tam Cummings, PHD., attended Baylor, Texas A&M, and Concordia Universities. She was awarded degrees in journalism, social work, and gerontology. Her post-graduate studies are in educational psychology and rural public health. Dr. Cummings is a member of the National Association of Professional Gerontologists.

Date: Wednesday, June 16, 2-3:30 p.m.

Description: There are many older adults that are food insecure in Boulder County. This panel will discuss the definition of food insecurity; federal, state and local data; available resources; and how to help with this issue. Participants will learn about SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) facts and myths, food delivery and pick up services, congregate meal sites, home delivered meals, and an overview of food and meal resources. This is by no means a complete representation of all the food resources and access points in Boulder County, but it is a start. The BCAAA will host more presentations to continue the conversation about food insecure older adults in Boulder County.

Panelists include:

• Teresa DeAnni, MA (Healthy Aging Programs Manager, BCAAA)
• Leighanna Konetski, RDN (Nutritionist, Colorado State Unit on Aging)
• Kristina Galvin (Elder Share Manager, Community Food Share)
• Brett Reeder (Direct of Client Services, Hunger Free Colorado)
• Lark Rambo (Executive Director, Coal Creek Meals on Wheels)

Date: Wednesday, June 30, noon-1:15 p.m.

Description: 50% of us will be unable to make healthcare decisions at end-of-life. People who are “aging solo” may have limited options when choosing a healthcare decision-maker. Join The Conversation Project in Boulder County for a Zoom expert panel discussion featuring Kari Fillmore, owner of Assurance Guardianship and Care Services, Sue Mackey, owner of Out of the Box Funeral End-of-Life Planning, and Amanda Meier of The Conversation Project in Boulder County. We help you identify your values, decide what matters to you, and provide guidance on how to find a healthcare agent. Most importantly, we will help you prepare “your person”.

Presented by:

Amanda Meier is the project coordinator for The Conversation Project in Boulder County (TCPBC) at TRU Community Care. She is a social worker and gerontologist with a history of working in both long-term care and rehabilitation. In these settings, Amanda has gained experience with chronic illness case management, end-of-life issues, and advance care planning. At TCPBC, she works in the community to educate about advance care planning and help facilitate critical conversations. The end-of-life process and death are avoided topics in our culture. Amanda believes that encouraging people to think about personal values and to communicate them to their loved ones opens the door to changing perceptions about end-of-life.

Date: Tuesday, July 6, 10-11:30 a.m.

Description: The doctor said “She will lose her memory.” But what does that mean? This session will explain what memory is, how it functions, and what occurs as the brain suffers damage from dementia. Caregivers will also learn how to draw a basic file cabinet to explain the disease process to families.

Presented by: Dr. Tam Cummings founded her company in 2009 with the mission to “Inspire, Educate, and Empower Dementia Caregivers.” Now her professional gerontology practice in the Texas Hill Country is recognized as one of the leading educators of dementia caregivers and program design for dementia care in Texas and nationally.

To date Dr. Cummings has:

• authored and published four books for dementia caregivers.
• speaks in national podcasts for dementia caregivers.
• developed the Dementia Behavioral Assessment Tool (DBAT) for staging dementias which resulted from 25 years of research in SNFs and memory care communities.
• developed a classification and staging tool for the behavioral, communication, and movement variations of the FTDs (Frontotemporal Dementias) – the only tool of its kind.
• recognized as the subject-matter-expert (SME) and program designer in a 2018-2019 CMP Project awarded to the Texas Health and Human Services. Cummings developed training for frontline staff to include clinical features of each major form of dementia, specific behaviors presented by different dementias, and correct approaches to ADL care for individual residents.
• selected as the SME to design and develop the training content for a 2016-2018 CMP with the Texas Health Care Association. This pilot program reduced the use of antipsychotic medications in SNFs by training professional and family caregivers to recognize the most common forms of dementia and the behaviors associated with each disease. Additional components included designing and teaching activity directors to implement appropriate activities for PWD, teaching family caregivers about dementias and offering Medical Education Credits for physicians.

Tam Cummings, PHD., attended Baylor, Texas A&M, and Concordia Universities. She was awarded degrees in journalism, social work, and gerontology. Her post-graduate studies are in educational psychology and rural public health. Dr. Cummings is a member of the National Association of Professional Gerontologists.

Date: Tuesday, August 3, 10-11:30 a.m.

Description: Nine dementias account for 98 percent of all dementias. Recognizing the signs and features of each dementia helps family and professional caregivers recognize and identify which form or forms of dementia their loved one is displaying.

Knowing the dementia the resident has allows us to provide for better care, teaches our caregivers to recognize, and understand behaviors associated with particular dementias and makes for care plans that allow for decline, falls, fractures, and UTIs.

Presented by: Dr. Tam Cummings founded her company in 2009 with the mission to “Inspire, Educate, and Empower Dementia Caregivers.” Now her professional gerontology practice in the Texas Hill Country is recognized as one of the leading educators of dementia caregivers and program design for dementia care in Texas and nationally.

Date: Tuesday, September 14, 10-11:30 a.m.

Description: Understanding how dementias move through the brain and cause changes in behavior allows families and professionals to determine how much damage the brain has suffered. Identifying a person’s stage of dementia means knowing what behaviors or declines will follow, the amount of time the Person With Dementia is expected to be in each stage, how much brain tissue is remaining, and what to care plan for next. Since People With Dementia don’t look physically ill until Stage Six of the Disease, the tools give us a better picture of the brain damage and resulting behaviors than relying on long term memory social skills.

Presented by: Dr. Tam Cummings founded her company in 2009 with the mission to “Inspire, Educate, and Empower Dementia Caregivers.” Now her professional gerontology practice in the Texas Hill Country is recognized as one of the leading educators of dementia caregivers and program design for dementia care in Texas and nationally.

To date Dr. Cummings has:

• authored and published four books for dementia caregivers.
• speaks in national podcasts for dementia caregivers.
• developed the Dementia Behavioral Assessment Tool (DBAT) for staging dementias which resulted from 25 years of research in SNFs and memory care communities.
• developed a classification and staging tool for the behavioral, communication, and movement variations of the FTDs (Frontotemporal Dementias) – the only tool of its kind.
• recognized as the subject-matter-expert (SME) and program designer in a 2018-2019 CMP Project awarded to the Texas Health and Human Services. Cummings developed training for frontline staff to include clinical features of each major form of dementia, specific behaviors presented by different dementias, and correct approaches to ADL care for individual residents.
• selected as the SME to design and develop the training content for a 2016-2018 CMP with the Texas Health Care Association. This pilot program reduced the use of antipsychotic medications in SNFs by training professional and family caregivers to recognize the most common forms of dementia and the behaviors associated with each disease. Additional components included designing and teaching activity directors to implement appropriate activities for PWD, teaching family caregivers about dementias and offering Medical Education Credits for physicians.

Tam Cummings, PHD., attended Baylor, Texas A&M, and Concordia Universities. She was awarded degrees in journalism, social work, and gerontology. Her post-graduate studies are in educational psychology and rural public health. Dr. Cummings is a member of the National Association of Professional Gerontologists.

Date: Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2-3:30 p.m.

Description: Malnutrition is often called the hidden epidemic. While an image of an underweight individual may come to mind when you hear the term malnutrition there is no one way on individual with malnutrition looks. People at any weight and body size can be malnourished if they are not getting the proper nutrients in the proper amounts.

Both the reasons malnutrition can occur, and the treatment are highly unique, but there are some common risk factors and some common nutrients of concern as people age.

This panel will discuss signs of malnutrition and risk factors as well as look at treatment, and resources available in Boulder County to help combat this issue.

Presenters:

• Meredith Whitmire is the Policy Director of Defeat Malnutrition Today. She is also the Vice President of Matz, Blancato and Associates and the Policy and Advocacy Director for the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs (NANASP). In these roles, she provides policy analysis and direction for and advocates on behalf of a wide variety of aging topics, including nutrition, elder justice, and community-based services. She holds a JD from Georgetown University Law Center and a BA from Georgetown University.
• Tara Hammes is the Director of Member Services for Healthy Aging and Nutrition for the Massachusetts Councils on Aging. She provides training and technical assistance to the 350 councils on aging and centers across the state. She is also a member of the Massachusetts Commission on Malnutrition Prevention Among Older Adults. As a Registered Dietitian, she has worked on emergency food, older adult and community nutrition programs for over 20 years.

Date: Tuesday, Nov. 30, 10-11:30 a.m.

Description: Caregiving is hard, to say the least. This session intends to honor how hard caregiving is and help you also identify the silver linings- because there are more then you realize. We have good days, bad days, and harder days and regardless we need to try to find the positive aspects of caregiving to reduce depression, anxiety, and distress to overall improve our well being. If you are a caregiver- you need to take care of yourself before anyone or anything else, easier said then done, but essential. Please join this session to help find the silver linings, re-focus your approach towards caregiving.

Presented by:

Jessica O’Leary is a Gerontologist, an elder advocate, and educator. Jessica has a certification in Validation® from the Validation Training Institute, is a trained Art Therapist, as well as a speaker on Alzheimer’s/Dementia and other topics related to aging including the Savvy Caregiver. Jessica has worked in Nursing Homes, Assisted Livings, in Memory Care, Palliative & Hospice Care. Jessica has worked for TRU on and off for 11 years serving as a patient care coordinator assisting palliative and hospice patients and community partners. Jessica is passionate about supporting elders, caregivers, care partners and the community through education and utilization of resources to reduce the toll and stress that serious illness can cause. Jessica is delighted to be a part of Age Well and hopes her involvement can nurture a positive, lasting impact. Jessica lives in Boulder County with her husband, daughter, dogs, chickens and bees. Jessica can be reached at TRU Community Care by calling 303.449.7740 or jessicaoleary@trucare.org.

Dates: Thursdays, Dec. 2 and 9, 1-2:30 p.m.

Description: What matters most to you? How can you communicate your healthcare values and wishes to the important people in your life? Join The Conversation Project in Boulder County for a two-part advance care planning workshop to begin this important journey. The first class is an introduction to the “the conversation” with tools, videos, and facilitated participant discussion on how to define and clarify healthcare values. Participants leave the first session prepared to engage in self-reflection . The second session includes individualized follow-up to ensure all participants feel confident about their healthcare values. We will help you choose the right healthcare agent and prepare you for a lifetime of meaningful conversations. This workshop also includes in-depth discussions of various advance directive forms. We help ensure your wishes are expressed and respected.

Presented by: Amanda Meier is the project coordinator for The Conversation Project in Boulder County (TCPBC) at TRU Community Care. She is a social worker and gerontologist with a history of working in both long-term care and rehabilitation. In these settings, Amanda has gained experience with chronic illness case management, end-of-life issues, and advance care planning. At TCPBC, she works in the community to educate about advance care planning and help facilitate critical conversations. The end-of-life process and death are avoided topics in our culture. Amanda believes that encouraging people to think about personal values and to communicate them to their loved ones opens the door to changing perceptions about end-of-life.

Date: Tuesday, Dec. 14, noon-1:30 p.m.

Description: A person with dementia is suffering from a terminal brain disease. Understanding how memory works, knowing the type of dementia your resident has, along with the stage of the disease, allows caregivers to target conversations to the memories that continue to function. Using this skill allows for interactions with old memory and can lead families and professional caregivers to new insights into their loved one’s younger life.

Presented by: Dr. Tam Cummings founded her company in 2009 with the mission to “Inspire, Educate, and Empower Dementia Caregivers.” Now her professional gerontology practice in the Texas Hill Country is recognized as one of the leading educators of dementia caregivers and program design for dementia care in Texas and nationally.

To date Dr. Cummings has:

• authored and published four books for dementia caregivers.
• speaks in national podcasts for dementia caregivers.
• developed the Dementia Behavioral Assessment Tool (DBAT) for staging dementias which resulted from 25 years of research in SNFs and memory care communities.
• developed a classification and staging tool for the behavioral, communication, and movement variations of the FTDs (Frontotemporal Dementias) – the only tool of its kind.
• recognized as the subject-matter-expert (SME) and program designer in a 2018-2019 CMP Project awarded to the Texas Health and Human Services. Cummings developed training for frontline staff to include clinical features of each major form of dementia, specific behaviors presented by different dementias, and correct approaches to ADL care for individual residents.
• selected as the SME to design and develop the training content for a 2016-2018 CMP with the Texas Health Care Association. This pilot program reduced the use of antipsychotic medications in SNFs by training professional and family caregivers to recognize the most common forms of dementia and the behaviors associated with each disease. Additional components included designing and teaching activity directors to implement appropriate activities for PWD, teaching family caregivers about dementias and offering Medical Education Credits for physicians.

Tam Cummings, PHD., attended Baylor, Texas A&M, and Concordia Universities. She was awarded degrees in journalism, social work, and gerontology. Her post-graduate studies are in educational psychology and rural public health. Dr. Cummings is a member of the National Association of Professional Gerontologists.

Date: Tuesday, Dec. 14, 10-11:30 a.m.

Description: Scammers would love a seat at your holiday table. Join us to learn about the scams and frauds that pop up this time of year, whether they’re coming our way by phone, email, popup, mail, or even at the door. Learn about the latest call-blocking features that our landline and cellphone companies now provide to reduce the number of scam calls. We will also talk about identity theft and how to keep your personal information and money safe in this technological age. Presented by the Community Protection Division of the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office.

Presented by: Desiree Firle is the Community Protection Specialist with the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office. Within the DA’s Community Protection Division, Desiree focuses on such topics as consumer protection, resolving issues between consumers and businesses, and engaging and educating the community regarding scams, fraud, and identity theft. She has over 8 years of experience working with older adults, people with disabilities, and unemployment insurance beneficiaries. Her experience includes working with federally funded programs such as the Older Americans Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Federal Fair Housing Act, Violence Against Women Act, Indian Child Welfare Act, and more recently the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Desiree has an MSW from the University of Denver with an emphasis on organizational leadership and policy and a BA from the University of Arizona in Religious Studies.

Date: Tuesday, Jan. 25, 10-11:30 a.m.

Description: Dementia professionals use a variety of tools to determine decline and remaining function in Persons With Dementia (PWD). Specific tools help us give physicians, nurses and caregiving staff a better picture of what is happening to the resident. Assessing for depression, anxiety, ADLs, IADLs, Pain, etc., keeps arguments out of the doctor’s office and helps us to assist families in understanding the disease process. Pain causes an estimated 50 percent of the behaviors in a PWD. Learn how to assess, plan and provide for pain treatment.

Presented by: Dr. Tam Cummings founded her company in 2009 with the mission to “Inspire, Educate, and Empower Dementia Caregivers.” Now her professional gerontology practice in the Texas Hill Country is recognized as one of the leading educators of dementia caregivers and program design for dementia care in Texas and nationally.

To date Dr. Cummings has:

• authored and published four books for dementia caregivers.
• speaks in national podcasts for dementia caregivers.
• developed the Dementia Behavioral Assessment Tool (DBAT) for staging dementias which resulted from 25 years of research in SNFs and memory care communities.
• developed a classification and staging tool for the behavioral, communication, and movement variations of the FTDs (Frontotemporal Dementias) – the only tool of its kind.
• recognized as the subject-matter-expert (SME) and program designer in a 2018-2019 CMP Project awarded to the Texas Health and Human Services. Cummings developed training for frontline staff to include clinical features of each major form of dementia, specific behaviors presented by different dementias, and correct approaches to ADL care for individual residents.
• selected as the SME to design and develop the training content for a 2016-2018 CMP with the Texas Health Care Association. This pilot program reduced the use of antipsychotic medications in SNFs by training professional and family caregivers to recognize the most common forms of dementia and the behaviors associated with each disease. Additional components included designing and teaching activity directors to implement appropriate activities for PWD, teaching family caregivers about dementias and offering Medical Education Credits for physicians.

Tam Cummings, PHD., attended Baylor, Texas A&M, and Concordia Universities. She was awarded degrees in journalism, social work, and gerontology. Her post-graduate studies are in educational psychology and rural public health. Dr. Cummings is a member of the National Association of Professional Gerontologists.

Date: Tuesday, Feb. 1, 10-11:30 a.m.

Description: This session is for all staff who interact with residents. Understanding changes in vision, hearing, and the damage to the brain means learning to adjust our behavior to the abilities of a Person With Dementia. Recognizing how to approach a Person With Dementia, how to have a conversation based on the Person With Dementia’s capacity, and how to adjust our voice pitch and tone, body language and how Fight, Flight, Flee or Fawn are triggered by our behaviors are covered in this session.

Presented by: Dr. Tam Cummings founded her company in 2009 with the mission to “Inspire, Educate, and Empower Dementia Caregivers.” Now her professional gerontology practice in the Texas Hill Country is recognized as one of the leading educators of dementia caregivers and program design for dementia care in Texas and nationally.

To date Dr. Cummings has:

• authored and published four books for dementia caregivers.
• speaks in national podcasts for dementia caregivers.
• developed the Dementia Behavioral Assessment Tool (DBAT) for staging dementias which resulted from 25 years of research in SNFs and memory care communities.
• developed a classification and staging tool for the behavioral, communication, and movement variations of the FTDs (Frontotemporal Dementias) – the only tool of its kind.
• recognized as the subject-matter-expert (SME) and program designer in a 2018-2019 CMP Project awarded to the Texas Health and Human Services. Cummings developed training for frontline staff to include clinical features of each major form of dementia, specific behaviors presented by different dementias, and correct approaches to ADL care for individual residents.
• selected as the SME to design and develop the training content for a 2016-2018 CMP with the Texas Health Care Association. This pilot program reduced the use of antipsychotic medications in SNFs by training professional and family caregivers to recognize the most common forms of dementia and the behaviors associated with each disease. Additional components included designing and teaching activity directors to implement appropriate activities for PWD, teaching family caregivers about dementias and offering Medical Education Credits for physicians.

Tam Cummings, PHD., attended Baylor, Texas A&M, and Concordia Universities. She was awarded degrees in journalism, social work, and gerontology. Her post-graduate studies are in educational psychology and rural public health. Dr. Cummings is a member of the National Association of Professional Gerontologists.

Date: Tuesday, Feb. 8, 10-11:30 a.m.

Description: How do I reduce my final foot print so I am a blessing rather than a burden for the earth? Karen van Vuuren has spent more than two decades educating caregivers about end-of-life choices before and after death. As co-founder of Lafayette’s holistic funeral home, The Natural Funeral, her passion includes supporting environmentally friendly funeral options and meaningful after-death care rituals. In this lively and colorful presentation, Karen will discuss an array of green death care options from water cremation to body composting. The latter just might have you turning in your grave.

Presented by: Karen Van Vuuren is a former journalist who is co-founder of Colorado’s first holistic funeral home, The Natural Funeral, located in Lafayette. She began her journey with end-of-life as a caregiver in an assisted living where she worked for six years with people with dementia, and also as a hospice volunteer coordinator. Twenty years ago, Karen founded a non-profit to provide education about holistic and natural end-of-life choices, including green and natural death care. For ten years, she edited the organization’s magazine, led regular workshops, and was co-founder of the National Home Funeral Alliance. Karen is also a documentary-maker whose award-winning hospice films are Dying Wish about a dying doctor’s decision to stop eating and drinking) and Go In Peace about supporting caregivers working with terminally ill veterans with PTSD.

Date: Tuesday, March 1, 10-11:30 a.m.

Description: Understanding how people die is a difficult but necessary topic. Recognizing the signs and behaviors as persons enter into the process of actively dying helps us know what is normal as the body slowly ceases it’s function. Grief, guilt, and the reality of loss will be discussed.

Presented by: Dr. Tam Cummings founded her company in 2009 with the mission to “Inspire, Educate, and Empower Dementia Caregivers.” Now her professional gerontology practice in the Texas Hill Country is recognized as one of the leading educators of dementia caregivers and program design for dementia care in Texas and nationally.

To date Dr. Cummings has:

• authored and published four books for dementia caregivers.
• speaks in national podcasts for dementia caregivers.
• developed the Dementia Behavioral Assessment Tool (DBAT) for staging dementias which resulted from 25 years of research in SNFs and memory care communities.
• developed a classification and staging tool for the behavioral, communication, and movement variations of the FTDs (Frontotemporal Dementias) – the only tool of its kind.
• recognized as the subject-matter-expert (SME) and program designer in a 2018-2019 CMP Project awarded to the Texas Health and Human Services. Cummings developed training for frontline staff to include clinical features of each major form of dementia, specific behaviors presented by different dementias, and correct approaches to ADL care for individual residents.
• selected as the SME to design and develop the training content for a 2016-2018 CMP with the Texas Health Care Association. This pilot program reduced the use of antipsychotic medications in SNFs by training professional and family caregivers to recognize the most common forms of dementia and the behaviors associated with each disease. Additional components included designing and teaching activity directors to implement appropriate activities for PWD, teaching family caregivers about dementias and offering Medical Education Credits for physicians.

Tam Cummings, PHD., attended Baylor, Texas A&M, and Concordia Universities. She was awarded degrees in journalism, social work, and gerontology. Her post-graduate studies are in educational psychology and rural public health. Dr. Cummings is a member of the National Association of Professional Gerontologists.

Date: Tuesday, March 8, 10-11:30 a.m.

Description: How we live our days is how we live our life – the small things end up being the big things. This presentation will address the legal documents and processes for caregivers at all stages including medical power of attorney documents, guardian and conservatorships, wills/trusts, beneficiary deeds and designations on accounts. There will also be an emphasis on conversations to have and questions to ask to be organized and empowered in care.

Presented by: Stephanie Schacht, JD grew up in Wisconsin with a fabulous family who encouraged education and a belief that you could do anything you put your mind too. Stephanie enjoyed athletics and academia in high school, during college at Smith in Northampton, MA, and then at the University of Denver for law school. Ski racing and skiing in general has always been a big part of Stephanie’s life and has guided most decisions in life. There were dreams of negotiating sponsor contracts for World Cup Athletes or working in house for a ski area but the arrival of her three children quickly became a priority. During pre-school, during the fire drill conversations, the question was posed by the four year old, what do we do if you don’t wake up? And thus, the journey into estate planning began. Stephanie started a solo practice to balance work and life needs and has grown a thriving boutique practice while being a single mom to amazing young adults.

Date: Tuesday, April 5, 10-11:30 a.m.

Description: This session will cover a variety of stress relief techniques for caregivers. It also includes several self-tests for caregivers to use to measure their stress levels, their self-compassion, burnout, and their compassion fatigue.

Presented by: Dr. Tam Cummings founded her company in 2009 with the mission to “Inspire, Educate, and Empower Dementia Caregivers.” Now her professional gerontology practice in the Texas Hill Country is recognized as one of the leading educators of dementia caregivers and program design for dementia care in Texas and nationally.

To date Dr. Cummings has:

• authored and published four books for dementia caregivers.
• speaks in national podcasts for dementia caregivers.
• developed the Dementia Behavioral Assessment Tool (DBAT) for staging dementias which resulted from 25 years of research in SNFs and memory care communities.
• developed a classification and staging tool for the behavioral, communication, and movement variations of the FTDs (Frontotemporal Dementias) – the only tool of its kind.
• recognized as the subject-matter-expert (SME) and program designer in a 2018-2019 CMP Project awarded to the Texas Health and Human Services. Cummings developed training for frontline staff to include clinical features of each major form of dementia, specific behaviors presented by different dementias, and correct approaches to ADL care for individual residents.
• selected as the SME to design and develop the training content for a 2016-2018 CMP with the Texas Health Care Association. This pilot program reduced the use of antipsychotic medications in SNFs by training professional and family caregivers to recognize the most common forms of dementia and the behaviors associated with each disease. Additional components included designing and teaching activity directors to implement appropriate activities for PWD, teaching family caregivers about dementias and offering Medical Education Credits for physicians.

Tam Cummings, PHD., attended Baylor, Texas A&M, and Concordia Universities. She was awarded degrees in journalism, social work, and gerontology. Her post-graduate studies are in educational psychology and rural public health. Dr. Cummings is a member of the National Association of Professional Gerontologists.

Date: Tuesday, April 12, 10-11:30 a.m.

Description: Experience The Work of Byron Katie, a simple yet profound process of Mindfulness Based Inquiry that changed the facilitator’s life while she was caring for and grieved family members living with cancer and mental illness. This presentation will enable you to meet the present moment in whatever it brings with clarity, and remind you who you truly are…a WHOLE, LOVING AND WISE being.

Presented by: Jodi Patsiner, MA is a Life Transitions Coach, holds a Masters degree in Gerontology and Long-term Health Care from Naropa University, is a Certified Facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie and Energy Healer. She has worked for over 35 years serving our Elders, Children and their Caregiver in a wide variety of settings, both in the United States and abroad. She has served in Nursing Homes, Assisted Livings and Hospice.

Jodi sat as a panelist for The Next Era in Innovation Global Healthcare and Life Sciences Conference and presented at the conference on Compassionate Approaches to Aging and Dying at Naropa.

Having served in Hospice most of her career, she is drawn to supporting care partners in their journey of the heart.

Date: Tuesday, May 10, 10-11:30 a.m.

Presented by: Dr. Tam Cummings founded her company in 2009 with the mission to “Inspire, Educate, and Empower Dementia Caregivers.” Now her professional gerontology practice in the Texas Hill Country is recognized as one of the leading educators of dementia caregivers and program design for dementia care in Texas and nationally.

Date: Thursday, May 12, 10-11 a.m.

Description: As you get older, it becomes more difficult for the body to cool itself during extreme bouts of heat. Boulder County Public Health has tips and ideas to help you, your friends, and the 65+ community stay safe during the summer. Planners Grace Hood and Stephanie Pease will also touch on the county’s new extreme heat plan, which will become more important as the climate changes across the Front Range.

The Alzheimer’s Association and Boulder County Area Agency on Aging are offering Living Well with Dementia, an afternoon of programs providing hope and information for people living with dementia and their family/informal care partners.

When: Tuesday, June 14, 1-5 p.m.
Where: Dairy Arts Center in Boulder, Grace Gramm Theater, (2590 Walnut St, Boulder, CO 80302)

Program for the Day

• 1-2 p.m. – Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia and the Impact of Diverse People Groups
• 2-3:15 p.m. – Effective Communication Strategies, decoding verbal and behavioral communication with strategies for meaningful connection
• 3:30-4:45 p.m. – Transcending Dementia: A positive perspective on the value of looking more deeply at the person beyond the disease
• 4:45-5 p.m. – Questions and Closing

For more information, contact Rebekah Van Sweden, Boulder County Area Agency on Aging, at 303-441-3945 or InfoCaregiver@bouldercounty.org.

Date: Tuesday, October 11, 10-11:30 a.m.

Description: Family caregiving arrangements often just “happen,” without real discussion about what works best for everyone involved. Some families need help deciding who will do what, where and when it will happen, and how it will be accomplished. Our Family, Our Way (OFOW) provides carefully-designed, step-by-step materials to walk families through the process of holding a family meeting where they talk about what kinds of care and support are needed and wanted and how they can work together to make it happen. We will introduce the OFOW process and materials and discuss how they can be used to ensure all voices are heard when families are planning care and support arrangements.

Presented by: Jennifer Heston-Mullins, PhD, LISW is the Associate Director of Research and a Senior Research Scholar with Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She has been a licensed social worker for 25 years, working with older adults and their families. Her role as care partner for her own family member living with dementia inspired her research interests in family caregiving and person-centered care.