PAWNY Spring Conference - "Working with Older Adults: Empowering Therapists with Essential Tools & Knowledge"

Time: 8:15 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Location: Burchfield Penney Art Center (at Buffalo State College) - 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222

Speaker: Presented by Regina Koepp, PsyD, ABPP

Dr. Regina Koepp is a board-certified clinical psychologist, clinical geropsychologist, and founder and director of the Center for Mental Health & Aging. The Center for Mental Health & Aging is the “go-to” place for information, CE training, and support for assisting aging adults with mental health concerns. Dr. Koepp is currently the lead medical psychologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center. She is the creator and host of the Psychology & Aging Podcast and is a contributing writer at Psychology Today and Psychotherapy Networker, where she discusses aging mental health and aging sexual health. She has been featured in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Katie Couric Media, News Nation, and other national periodicals. Dr. Koepp is a sought-after speaker on the topics of mental health & aging, caregiving, ageism, resilience, dementia, and sexual health. She earned her doctorate at the PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium and completed her post-doctoral fellowship at Emory University Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences.

Conference Summary:

Many mental health providers are working with an aging client population that presents a range of challenges related to loss of functioning, cognitive changes, grieving, and working with families. This conference is designed to provide clinicians with both an in-depth training in best practices as well as practical skills to improve our abilities to meet these challenges. In this dynamic, inspiring workshop, we will journey across the full arc of aging from typical aging to end of life care. We will discover how negative stereotypes about aging impact health and wellbeing as we age and participants will learn what is typical vs not typical with age related to brain health and mental health. With a series of experiential activities, we will explore the intersection of physical and mental health and discover key mental health concerns for our older clients. Participants will learn to differentiate between the desire to hasten death and active suicidality. Finally, we will review two therapy modalities for working with terminally ill older adults. If you work with any older adults in your practice, this is a conference that you do not want to miss.

Instructional Level: Introductory

Target Audience:

Psychologists, Social Workers, Mental Health Counselors, Marriage & Family Counselors, Creative Art Therapists, and other Mental Health professionals.

Statement of Sponsorship:

NYSED Social Work Contact Hours: Offered in collaboration with the UB School of Social Work Office of Continuing Education; recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0001. 6 live in-person contact hours are approved.

NYSED Mental Health Counselor Contact Hours: Offered in collaboration with the UB School of Social Work Office of Continuing Education; recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0008. 6 live in-person contact hours are approved.

NYSED Marriage and Family Therapist Contact Hours: Offered in collaboration with the UB School of Social Work Office of Continuing Education; recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0007. 6 live in-person contact hours are approved.

NYSED Creative Arts Therapist Contact Hours: Offered in collaboration with the UB School of Social Work Office of Continuing Education; recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed creative arts therapists #CAT-0003. 6 live in-person contact hours are approved.

NYSED Psychology Contact Hours: Offered in collaboration with the UB School of Social Work Office of Continuing Education; recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0062. 6 live in-person contact hours are approved.

CE Credits: 6 CE

Conference Objectives:

At the conclusion of the conference, participants will be able to:

1. Describe 3 ways that ageism impacts older adults’ physical and mental health.
2. Define 10 typical vs. atypical changes in the brain with age.
3. List 6 stages along the caregiving journey.
4. Differentiate desire to hasten death vs. suicidality among people living with terminal illness.

Conference Schedule:

• 8:15 - 9:00 - Sign-In Registration & Breakfast (included)
• 9:00 - 10:30 - Morning A: Ageism and its impact on physical and mental health
  3 ways ageism impacts older adult’s physical and mental health; Intersections between older age and other identity variables (e.g.,disability, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation) related to mental health; Strategies to reduce ageism and promote access to physical and mental health care
• 10:30 - 10:45 - Break
• 10:45 - 12:15 - Morning B: Aging and the Brain
  10 typical vs. atypical changes in the brain with age; Differences between mild cognitive impairment and dementia; Review of the most common forms of dementia; Tools for clinical assessment of cognitive impairment including cognitive screeners, mood screeners, functional assessment, and caregiver/collateral assessment; 5 ways to help clients presenting with memory loss
• 12:15 - 1:30 - Lunch Break (Included)
• 1:30 - 3:00 - Afternoon A: Adjusting to illness & role changes
  The relationship between physical and mental health; The role of the mental health provider in the treatment of comorbid medical problems; How to help clients cope with grief and loss; Review of a family systems approach to working with older adults and caregivers; 6 stages along the caregiving journey.
• 3:00 - 3:15pm - Break
• 3:15 - 4:30 - Afternoon B: Therapy at the end of life
  Mental health concerns at the end of life, including loss of autonomy and dignity, anxiety and depression; Differentiating the desire to hasten death vs. suicidality among people living with terminal illness; 2 therapy modalities for working with terminally ill older adults; Therapist grief and exploring strategies for mourning the loss of our own clients.

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If you are a psychologist or psychology doctoral student but not currently a PAWNY Member, you can register for membership on the PAWNY website prior to event registration.