Stanford’s Neuroscience Supportive Care Program is offering nine virtual workshops for caregivers to those dealing with memory issues, regardless of the diagnosis (whether it be Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease Dementia, mild cognitive impairment, vascular dementia, stroke, etc.).  The workshops are every first and third Wednesday, 10-11:30am PT, starting June 2, 2021.  Sign up for one or all.

The instructor for all nine workshops is Dr. Ann Bilbrey.

While caregivers are invited to attend whichever workshops they are interested in, the last two workshops in the series, in October 2021, are designed as two parts.  Except for the two-part October workshops, you have to register individually for each workshop.  Registration is free.

The nine workshops in the series are:

Bouncing Back – June 2nd
In this workshop, we will explore the factors that make up resilience and how resilience can affect your sense of well-being. Caregivers will create an Atlas CareMap – a visual representation of who is on their support team, and where the gaps are. You’ll leave with a draft of your Atlas CareMap, and tools to increase your sense of well-being to use at home. 
Click here to register.

Being Heard – June 16th
This workshop focuses on communication. It starts with an exploration of the foundation of communication, empathy, and then provides practical strategies for how to communicate with a person experiencing a memory loss disorder.  There are also suggestions for how to get more help from family members who may be reluctant to get involved.
Click here to register.

Strategies for Stress – July 7th
This workshop revolves around stress management. It starts with an examination of stress and each person’s unique pattern of a stress response and the differences between stress and chronic stress. You’ll learn two valuable yet simple stress management tools you can use at any time.
Click here to register.

Coping with Frustration – August 4th  
This workshop emphasizes that frustration, and at times anger, are understandable emotions, and they can get in the way of successful caregiving.  The workshop will focus on different strategies for managing these feelings, including learning to S.T.O.P. before responding, and the need to walk away or take a break when necessary.
Click here to register.

Dealing with the Blues – August 18th
This workshop focuses on how common depressive symptoms are for caregivers. We discuss strategies to manage mood more effectively, principally by increasing everyday positive activities that lift the mood.  Many times those we care for also commonly experience depressed mood. We’ll discuss ways to work with the person being cared for when they are feeling down.
Click here to register.

Filling the Well – September 1st
Caregivers rarely devote time in their schedule to their own self-care. This workshop will explore the importance of self-care, focusing on 4 areas (spiritual, physical, mental, and social) with special emphasis on getting regular exercise and sound sleep.
Click here to register.

All By Myself – September 15th
This workshop focuses on the loneliness and social isolation that are so common during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides recommended strategies for reducing them.  In this workshop, we’ll discuss methods of finding support even if you never seem to leave the house.
Click here to register.

Working on Challenging Behaviors – Part I – October 6th
This is a 2 meeting workshop. Attendance in both sessions is highly encouraged. In the first workshop we’ll explore the theory behind behavior. In order to change behavior, we must understand the causes. This workshop introduces the typical sequence of behavioral problems: triggers of behavior, the behavior itself, and the aftermath of reactions to the behavior.  This workshop introduces the typical sequence of behaviors. By exploring the progression of the behavior, we can identify areas where change is most likely to be successful.
Click here to register.

Working on Challenging Behaviors – Part II – October 20th
This is a 2 meeting workshop. Attendance in both sessions is highly encouraged. This workshop puts the theory from the first workshop into action. Caregivers are encouraged to share how they usually respond to challenging behaviors, to evaluate how effective these responses are, and to consider other ways to respond that may be more effective to reduce the stress of the situation.

Click here to register.

If you have questions, contact the Stanford Neuroscience Supportive Care Program by phone 650-721-8500 or email.