September 18, 2008
Dementia Care Expert to Highlight Conference
Lanny Butler of IATB Dementia Care will provide information on alternatives to caring for loved ones with dementia during the 10th annual Community Services Bureau Conference in Billings Oct. 1-3, 2008 at the Holiday Inn Grand Montana.
Butler’s keynote address, ‘Dementia Possible Care’, focuses on changing the perception of the dementia process and the reality of what is possible in dementia care.
Butler is also scheduled to present a breakout session for conference participants on learning to develop and match activities to an individuals' level of dementia. He is the author of ‘My Past is Now My Future: a Practical Guide to Dementia Possible Care.’
The speech is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008.
The three-day conference is sponsored by the Senior and Long Term Care Division (SLTC) of the Department of Public Health and Human Services. About 300 people are expected to attend.
IATB Dementia Care is a private consulting group that focuses on dementia care giving.
According to SLTC program manager Abby Holm, the theme of this year’s conference is appropriately called ‘Seeds’ because the conference is designed to “plant ‘seeds’ to improve the quality of life and services for the elderly and people living with disabilities in the community,” she said.
The conference brings together nurses, social workers, individuals who are elderly and disabled, home-based care agencies, and direct home care staff.
Session topics include ethics in caregiving, psychosis in special populations, technology for independence, diabetes management, and emergency preparedness information for people with disabilities.
Cost to attend the entire conference is $205. However, single day prices are also offered. About 50-75 scholarships are available for the elderly and people with disabilities, family members, advocates and direct care workers.
For information on this year’s conference go to http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/sltc/services/communityservices/CSConference or contact Holm at (406) 444-4564 or abholm@mt.gov.
