Workshop Outline: Supporting those dealing with losses related to ability, ageing and dementia

When a family member is diagnosed with a form of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, it’s likely that the losses have already begun some time before. Stretching ahead of family members and the person themselves is an uncertain future littered with loss and grief that both comes and goes and comes and stays.

This workshop will take participants through an exploration of the many facets of grief experienced by those affected by decrease in abilities, increase in age and dementia. We will consider the different needs of both the families/carers and the person themselves. Strategies will be offered to help people who support these families to engage in an active grieving process that acknowledges the losses experienced and the life of their loved one.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Identify the varied losses associated with a decrease in abilities, an increase in aging and dementia
• Use an understanding of grief and loss theory to support family members
• Identify and use strategies that allow an active engagement with the grief being experienced by individuals affected by a decrease in abilities, an increase in aging and dementia
• Utilise some simple communication tools to be able to work directly with individuals who are living with dementia and acknowledge their grief.

Presenter Bio: Jane Lorbergs

Jane Lorbergs has held management positions in Aged Care and Retirement Living accommodation from Bayside through to Eastern Suburbs from 2002.  She entered the aged care industry in 1995. Her roles have also included placement of older clients needing to move from their homes, which has involved extensive sensitive discussions about the many challenges and losses both for the individual and their families.
It has been important in her roles to balance the needs of adult children, who are often retirees older than 65 caring for their parents in their late 80’s and 90’s. It can often include other relatives, including adult grandchildren and sometimes neighbours.
The discussions often have required a sensitive education, including the grief of losing physical and mental abilities and the future needs for inter-dependence to support independence.
Jane Has a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology (Latrobe University 2002 ) where her research focus included palliative care, and also the media and political positioning of older people in a market economy and how this affects their perceived value. Jane also completed the Graduate Certificate in Bereavement Counselling and Intervention (ACBG 2016). Jane also worked in a secured dementia unit as a carer for 6 months to gain further insight into the disease of dementia and completed 50 hours of specific dementia training. (RDNS 1998).
Jane currently is a volunteer support worker with an ACBG Older Persons Support group.
Jane has chosen to work in frontline roles over her entire career to use her training, skills and insights  in interpersonal relationships and leadership with all levels of care staff.  The motive was always to provide environments which would directly enhance the last weeks, months and years of older persons lives.
Jane has organised many Successful Ageing Forums over 16 years to bring together experts from Psychology, Psychiatry, Physiotherapy, Genetics, nursing, care staff and State and Federal politicians to stimulate thinking in local communities across Melbourne so they are made aware of choices they have for their lives.  She has often used Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in her presentations to illustrate opportunities for growth and acceptance for our being human until the very end stages of life.

Workshop Details:

Venue: The Ibis Adelaide
122 Grenfell Street
Adelaide SA 5000

Date: Thursday 10th of May 2018

Time: 9:30 am - 4:30 pm

Prices

ACGB member: $290.00

Non-member price: $345.00

Cancellation and Refund Policy

The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement reserves the right to cancel education programs that do not achieve minimum participation, in which case all fees will be refunded.

Registration cancellations will not be accepted unless made in writing to the centre. Cancellations made more than thirty (30) days prior to the event date will be refunded less 25% of the registration fee to cover administration costs.