Many caregivers cannot leave home due to caregiving responsibilities. You can participate in a web-based seminar — or webinar — from the privacy of your home. Join either live or view the archived version within a few day of the live webinar (in most cases). All webinars listed are free. All times shown are Pacific Time. Here are webinars that may be of interest to caregivers in May 2020…
Tuesday, May 5, 9:00-10:00am
“Care Partner Spotlight: “Take Your Oxygen First”
Program: We’ve all heard the pre-flight speech, “in the event the cabin loses pressure, place your oxygen mask on yourself before assisting others.” Care partners need to take care of themselves in order to be fully available to the ones they care for. However, caring for your loved one in the time of Covid-19 may require some new strategies, including how you care for yourself. Join our presenter for a conversation on caring in the time of Corona.
Presenter: Rosemary Laird, MD
Presented by: PMD Alliance
Wednesday, May 5, 10:00-11:00am
“Elder Care in Our New World: How a Team Approach Can Bring You Peace of Mind”
Program: Caring for an aging parent, elderly spouse, loved one or close friend presents very difficult challenges. Often times a crisis occurs and you’re suddenly faced with the responsibilities of elder care. And, we now find ourselves in unprecedented times with the COVID-19 pandemic where families are struggling to access care and even spend time with their elderly loved ones. Being a caregiver is difficult enough with everyday trials but the new world of eldercare that we find ourselves in requires a more comprehensive and assertive approach to best help our loved ones with their legal, financial and personal care needs. How do I get my loved one the best care possible? How do I protect their assets and income? How do I get Medicaid to help pay for all the care that’s needed? These are very common concerns and there are answers and help.
Presenter: Brian Andrew Tully, Esq., CELA, Founder of Tully Law, PC and a Certified Elder Law Attorney
Presented by: Alzheimer’s Foundation of America
Wednesday, May 6, 10:00-11:00am
‘Preparing for Loss: Death, Dying and Grieving”
Program: As humans, we would like to think we have an infinite amount of time on this earth. But the reality is our time will eventually run out. For some this is a scary thought, while others find comfort in some version of an afterlife. Regardless of what people think about death, many individuals don’t feel comfortable talking about death, dying and grieving. But end-of-life planning is vital to ensuring the individual’s wishes are carried out at the end of his or her life. It is especially important to ensure that proper documentation is in order to ease the burden of decision-making on loved ones.
Presenter: Lakelyn Hogan, MS, MBA, Home Instead Senior Care
Julie Masters, PhD, professor and chair of the department of gerontology at the University of Nebraska Omaha
Presented by: Home Instead Senior Care
Wednesday, May 13, 11:30am-12:30pm
“Resiliency and Coping Strategies for Dementia Caregivers”
Program: Develop a repertoire of skills for resiliency, self-care and coping when caring for someone with dementia. Learn how dementia caregiver stress can impact health and lead to depression and anxiety. Strategies will be introduced for building resiliency which helps preserve and restore emotional and physical health while navigating the uncertainty of dementia caregiving.
Presenter: Miriam Galindo, Psy.D., LCSW, RN
Presented by: Alzheimer’s Orange County
Thursday, May 14, 11:00am-12:00pm
“Palliative Care on the Front Lines of COVID-19”
Program: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought home the importance of training on palliative care and the need for advanced planning for those with serious illness and their families. This webinar will explore how COVID-19 has impacted medical decision-making for those in palliative care; how families can better communicate with health professionals at this time; and how COVID-19 has shaped future recommendations for palliative care practice.
Presenter: Diane E. Meier, MD, FACP, FAAHPM, CEO of the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC)
Presented by: California Caregiver Resource Centers and the Center to Advance Palliative Care
Thursday, May 14, 4:00-5:00pm
“Prepare to Care: Understanding the Cost of Caregiving”
Program: You never know when you could find yourself in charge of a loved one’s care. From a catastrophic injury to a sudden decline in health, their life changes can dramatically alter yours, too. Jessica Allen suddenly became a caregiver after her husband Chaz lost his legs following an IED attack in Afghanistan. She’ll share her story during our free caregiving webinar and help prepare you with resources as it relates to financial and legal issues, plus health, housing and the future. Plus, you’ll also hear tips to keep from feeling overwhelmed, especially during this time of isolation. No matter where you are in your caregiving journey, you don’t have to feel alone.
Presenter: Jessica Allen, family caregiver
Presented by: AARP Family Caregiving
Saturday, May 16, 9:00am-12:30pm
“2020 Care Partner Summit”
Program: Join the Summit for a series of panels answering questions from those caring for someone with Parkinson’s. Topics include: Cognitive Changes, Mental Health, Self-Care, Practical Planning
Presenters: To be advised at time of the Summit
Presented by: Parkinson’s Foundation
Those registered for the Summit will receive links once the presentations have been archived.
Wednesday, May 20, 10:00-11:00am
“Be Fraud Smart: Combatting Money Transfer Scams”
Program: Western Union is dedicated to fighting fraud and helping consumers protect themselves from falling victim to scams. By teaming up and working together with you, we can make it much harder for criminals to commit fraud. Participants will learn helpful tips to spot potential fraud of older adults, and how to assist in preventing it.
Presenter: Jessica Warren, Fraud Manager, Western Union
Presented by: Western Union
Thursday, May 21, 3:00-4:00pm
“Planning Ahead for the Care You May Need: Health Care Decisions in the Era of COVID-19”
Program: This webinar will review advance care planning, easy-to-use materials and easy-to-read advance directives in 10 languages available at www.prepareforyourcare.org. The webinar will also cover how advance care planning is unique in the time of COVID-19, what can and should be done before a hospitalization to help prepare, the types of discussions and decisions that patients may face when they come to the hospital, how families can stay connected, and how palliative care can help.
Presenters: Rebecca Sudore, MD, Professor of Medicine, UCSF
Anne Kinderman, MD, Director, Supportive and Palliative Care Service, ZFGH & Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, UCSF
Presented by: Family Caregiver Alliance and San Francisco Department of Aging and Disability Services
Wednesday, May 27, 10:00-11:00am
“Understanding Social Isolation Series Part 1: What it is, Why it Matters and How it’s Measured”
Program: AARP Foundation, with the American Society on Aging, explores the health impacts of social isolation among older adults, and looks at current recommendations and solutions to prevent and mitigate its negative effects. This timely series comes at an unprecedented moment in America, as the novel coronavirus thrusts millions of older adults into greater physical isolation from family, friends and neighbors. As these events unfold, it will be more important than ever for healthcare professionals and those in the aging services sector to understand the importance of social connections and strategies to support healthy social engagement and inclusion. Register for this two-part web seminar to learn about the latest research, screening and measurement methods, recommendations and best practices.
Presenters: Emily Allen is senior vice president, AARP Foundation
Joscelyn Silsby is the director of evaluation at AARP Foundation, where she has been leading the evaluation work of the organization since 2014.
Carla Perissinotto M.D., M.H.S., is an associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in the Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, and was in 2017 appointed as the first associate chief for Geriatrics Clinical Programs at UCSF. Dr. Perissinotto is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine.
Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Ph.D., is a professor at Brigham Young University, with a research focus on the long-term health effects of social connection.
Juliann G. Sebastian is dean of and professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Nursing, since 2011
Presented by: AARP Foundation and American Society on Aging
Thursday, May 28, 10:00-11:00am
“Understanding Social Isolation Series Part 2: Interventions and Best Practices in Healthcare and the Community”
Program: AARP Foundation, with the American Society on Aging, explores the health impacts of social isolation among older adults, and looks at the current recommendations and solutions to prevent and mitigate its negative effects. This timely series comes at an unprecedented moment in America, as the novel coronavirus thrusts millions of older adults into greater physical isolation from family, friends and neighbors. As these events unfold, it will be more important than ever for healthcare professionals and those in the aging services sector to understand the importance of social connections and strategies to support healthy social engagement and inclusion. Register for this two-part web seminar to learn about the latest research, screening and measurement methods, recommendations and best practices.
Presenters: Lisa Marsh Ryerson is president of AARP Foundation, the charitable affiliate of AARP.
Colleen Galambos, Ph.D., A.C.S.W., L.C.S.W.-C., F.G.S.A., is the Helen Bader Endowed Chair in Applied Gerontology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and joined the faculty at the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare in 2018.
Michael Adams is the CEO of SAGE (Advocacy and Services for LGBT Elders), the world’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT older people, and Chairman of ASA’s Board of Directors.
Randy Oostra, D.M., F.A.C.H.E., is the president and CEO of ProMedica, a nonprofit mission-based, integrated health and well-being organization in Toledo, Ohio
Presented by: AARP Foundation and American Society on Aging