Event Agenda

Keynote Presentation & Opening Session

Conquering the Caregiving Crisis

Speaker: Dr. Jessica Nutik Zitter, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Filmmaker, Author, and Founder

• Film Screening: Join us for a special screening of Caregiver: A Love Story, a short documentary by Dr. Zitter. The film tells the tale of one man struggling to care for his dying wife. When 59-year-old Bambi decides to forgo further treatment for her cancer and die at home, her husband Rick leaves his job to become her primary caregiver—a role for which he has no experience and little support.
• Keynote Presentation: Following the film screening, Dr. Zitter will share a comprehensive overview of the challenges faced by family caregivers as they navigate medical, financial, and personal obstacles in their roles as caregivers. Dr. Zitter offers personal stories and hopeful strategies for a more-supported future.

Straight from the Experts: Care Partner Panel

Facilitator: Natalie Leary, MSW, LCSW, Social Worker, Duke Dementia Family Support Program

• During this session, family care partners will share advice, observations, and wisdom gleaned from their first-hand experience caring for a loved one.

Medicare Fraud: Are You Protecting Your Benefits? 

Speaker: Stephanie Bias, Program Coordinator, North Carolina Senior Medicare Patrol (NCSMP)

• A total of $68 billion is lost annually to Medicare fraud. Join us for a conversation on how to protect your Medicare benefits. We will discuss the importance of securing your Medicare number; checking your Medicare statements for accuracy; and the process for reporting suspected fraud errors and abuse. Together, we can prevent and make significant steps toward reducing this $68 billion loss! 

Encouraging the Heart of a Caregiver

Speaker: Rich Gwaltney, Northeast Regional Director, North Carolina Baptist Aging Ministry (NCBAM)

• Managing the stress of caring for a loved one can easily lead to burnout for both the personal and professional caregiver. In this session we will identify risk factors, available resources, and explore proven strategies to help caregivers find the rest and strength needed for their caregiving journey.

What Caregivers Need to Know in an Emergency

Speaker: Tracy Stell, BSN, RN, CNML, Duke Regional Educational Services; DUHS Life Support Training Center Coordinator, Duke Health

• In this session, you'll learn how to administer hands-only CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). You'll also learn how to recognize a heart attack, stroke, bleeding, and hypoglycemia and how to help. 

Getting It Right: Planning and Utilization of Legal Tools for Incapacity and Death

Speakers: Mark Costley and Jonathan Williams, Attorneys, Clarity Legal Group 

• This presentation will include a broad overview of the legal tools available to aging adults to assist them in allowing others to manage their affairs when they cannot—namely, upon incapacity and death. It will be given from the perspective of the caregiver, and how the caregiver can help an aging adult access, plan for, and utilize those tools. It will include a discussion of what tools are available when the aging adult no longer has the capacity to sign legal documents, and how those tools are implemented.

Laughter Really Is Good Medicine

Speaker: Lisa Levine, Senior Director of Programs, Dementia Alliance of North Carolina

• To get the health benefits of laughter, we need to laugh continuously for 10-15 minutes. I don't know about you, but I don't think most jokes are THAT funny. Natural laughter depends on many reasons and situations. Children laugh hundreds of times per day. Adults, however, laugh significantly less – so we can't let our laughter be only random. Laughter Yoga ensures laughter and the health benefits that come with laughing. Laughter Yoga is a unique concept where anyone can laugh for no reason, without relying on humor, jokes, or comedy. The reason that we call it Laughter Yoga is because it combines laughter exercises with yoga breathing. This brings more oxygen to the body and the brain that makes one feel more energetic and healthy. During this session you will get to enjoy laughing together even when it is difficult to find the blessing in the mess.

I Didn't Know I Was a Caregiver

Speaker: Garrett Davis

• We can be too close to the situation when it comes to caring for our loved ones. We are the last to notice when our own health and well-being are lacking for weeks or even months at a time. Once you recognize that you are a caregiver, it opens the door to resources that can help you on your journey.

Takiri Folclor Latino ("Who Creates Music and Dance")

Speaker: Pilar Rocha-Goldberg

• Our purpose is to show Latin American culture through dance. We are a Latino family ranging in age from 3 years old to older adults. We come from different nationalities (including Colombia, México, Costa Rica, Honduras, Perú, Ecuador, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, the United States, and France). We dance rhythms from Latin America, especially from Colombia, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, México, Perú, and Guatemala, including cumbia, bambuco, mapalé, merecumbé, plena, and others. The majority of our dances have African (basic rhythm), European (wording and dress), and Indigenous (melody and dance) influences.

How to Talk to Your Doctor: Making the Most of Your Visit

Speaker: David Fisher, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Duke HomeCare & Hospice

• Have you ever walked out of a doctor’s office and wished you had asked one more question? When you take your loved one to a doctor’s visit, does it feel like there is so much to accomplish in so little time? Join geriatric specialist David Fisher, MD, as he shares a doctor’s perspective on how to make the most of your medical visits.

Caring for the Caregiver

Speaker: Bryan J. Godfrey, LCSW, UNC Geriatrics Clinic, UNC

• Taking care of another person can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be incredibly stressful. In this presentation, we’ll explore the knowledge, perspective, self-care, and resources necessary to avoid burnout and find fulfillment in the complex caregiver role.

Reimagining Technology

Speaker: January Brown, Deputy Aging Director, Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging

• In this ever-expanding world, technology is more important than ever in assisting with older adult independence and caregiving. Join us to learn more about useful technology and how it can assist in caregivers’ roles. Together we will explore the world of low and high technology while focusing on independence, safety, and wellness.

Things to Consider When Your Loved One Is Hospitalized: How to Be an Effective Patient Advocate During a Hospital Stay

Speaker: Karen Preston, MHA, BSN, RN, ACM-RN, Director of Care Management, Mission Hospital

• Health care is complex. Oftentimes, it seems like health care providers are speaking a foreign language. This session will provide strategies to help you manage your hospitalized loved one’s care as well as creating safe discharge plans that are patient-focused.

The GEMS® States of Brain Change and How to Help

Speaker: Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, Founder, Positive Approach to Care^® and Snow Approach Foundation

• This session will introduce learners to a new way of looking at the progression of dementia: the GEMS® States of Brain Change. Each state corresponds to a particular gemstone. Attendees will learn the different characteristics of each GEMS State and explore the most effective ways to offer support for each, with the goal of improving interactions and relationships.

Laughter Really Is Good Medicine

Speaker: Lisa Levine, Senior Director of Programs, Dementia Alliance of North Carolina

• To get the health benefits of laughter, we need to laugh continuously for 10-15 minutes. I don't know about you, but I don't think most jokes are THAT funny. Natural laughter depends on many reasons and situations. Children laugh hundreds of times per day. Adults, however, laugh significantly less – so we can't let our laughter be only random. Laughter Yoga ensures laughter and the health benefits that come with laughing. Laughter Yoga is a unique concept where anyone can laugh for no reason, without relying on humor, jokes, or comedy. The reason that we call it Laughter Yoga is because it combines laughter exercises with yoga breathing. This brings more oxygen to the body and the brain that makes one feel more energetic and healthy. During this session you will get to enjoy laughing together even when it is difficult to find the blessing in the mess.

How to Talk to Your Doctor: Making the Most of Your Visit

Speaker: David Fisher, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Duke HomeCare & Hospice

• Have you ever walked out of a doctor’s office and wished you had asked one more question? When you take your loved one to a doctor’s visit, does it feel like there is so much to accomplish in so little time? Join geriatric specialist David Fisher, MD, as he shares a doctor’s perspective on how to make the most of your medical visits.

Caring for the Caregiver

Speaker: Bryan J. Godfrey, LCSW, UNC Geriatrics Clinic, UNC

• Taking care of another person can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be incredibly stressful. In this presentation, we’ll explore the knowledge, perspective, self-care, and resources necessary to avoid burnout and find fulfillment in the complex caregiver role.

Reimagining Technology

Speaker: January Brown, Deputy Aging Director, Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging

• In this ever-expanding world, technology is more important than ever in assisting with older adult independence and caregiving. Join us to learn more about useful technology and how it can assist in caregivers’ roles. Together we will explore the world of low and high technology while focusing on independence, safety, and wellness.

Things to Consider When Your Loved One Is Hospitalized: How to Be an Effective Patient Advocate During a Hospital Stay

Speaker: Karen Preston, MHA, BSN, RN, ACM-RN, Director of Care Management, Mission Hospital

• Health care is complex. Oftentimes, it seems like health care providers are speaking a foreign language. This session will provide strategies to help you manage your hospitalized loved one’s care as well as creating safe discharge plans that are patient-focused.

The GEMS® States of Brain Change and How to Help

Speaker: Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, Founder, Positive Approach to Care^® and Snow Approach Foundation

• This session will introduce learners to a new way of looking at the progression of dementia: the GEMS® States of Brain Change. Each state corresponds to a particular gemstone. Attendees will learn the different characteristics of each GEMS State and explore the most effective ways to offer support for each, with the goal of improving interactions and relationships.

Laughter Really Is Good Medicine

Speaker: Lisa Levine, Senior Director of Programs, Dementia Alliance of North Carolina

• To get the health benefits of laughter, we need to laugh continuously for 10-15 minutes. I don't know about you, but I don't think most jokes are THAT funny. Natural laughter depends on many reasons and situations. Children laugh hundreds of times per day. Adults, however, laugh significantly less – so we can't let our laughter be only random. Laughter Yoga ensures laughter and the health benefits that come with laughing. Laughter Yoga is a unique concept where anyone can laugh for no reason, without relying on humor, jokes, or comedy. The reason that we call it Laughter Yoga is because it combines laughter exercises with yoga breathing. This brings more oxygen to the body and the brain that makes one feel more energetic and healthy. During this session you will get to enjoy laughing together even when it is difficult to find the blessing in the mess.

I Didn't Know I Was a Caregiver

Speaker: Garrett Davis

• We can be too close to the situation when it comes to caring for our loved ones. We are the last to notice when our own health and well-being are lacking for weeks or even months at a time. Once you recognize that you are a caregiver, it opens the door to resources that can help you on your journey.