Positive Approach to Care dementia workshop coming to Albany next month

ALBANY — Teepa Snow, founder of Positive Approach to Care, studies dementia and brain change. She will send a representative of her organization, Kathy Tuckey, a certified training specialist, to Albany to host a workshop teaching others how to identify and approach dementia.

The workshop is set for 8:15 a.m.-4 p.m. on Jan. 18, with lunch included, at the SOWEGA Council on Aging’s Kay H. Hind Senior Life Enrichment Center.

“(Snow) uses the GEMS (Brian Change) model and compares people to gemstones and focuses on retained abilities in order for us to see what is beautiful, and still available, for the person with whom we share time and offer support and care,” Erin Whatley Andrews, marketing manager at SOWEGA Council on Aging, said in an email to The Albany Herald.

Snow uses the GEMS model to compare people to gemstones and focus on retained abilities. The Positive Approach website lists the gemstones and the characteristics associated with them:

— Sapphire: True Blue — Optimal Cognition, Healthy Brain;

— Diamond: Clear and Sharp — Routines and Rituals Rule;

— Emerald: Green and On the Go With a Purpose — Naturally Flawed;

— Amber: Caught in a Moment of Time — Caution Required;

— Ruby: Deep and Strong in Color — Others Stop Seeing What is Possible;

— Pearl: Hidden Within a Shell — Beautiful Moments to Behold.

“This one-day conference is a great opportunity for more in-depth knowledge and exposure to a variety of skills and support modifications that will impact (the) quality of life, safety and more,” Andrews said in the email. “Continuing education credits will be offered for social workers, professional counselors and nurses.”

Andrews said other caregivers may attend the workshop at a reduced charge. At the end of the five-hour beginning-level workshop, participants should be able to:

— Compare and contrast “normal” aging versus “not normal” aging related to various cognitive functions;

— Describe the five sensory input and processing systems, highlighting the dominant role of vision;

— Discuss the rationale that supports the positive physical approach process with people living with dementia;

— Discuss purpose and value of using hand-under-hand technique with people living with dementia;

— Discuss the rationale for seeing persons living with dementia as “GEMS” versus other numbering systems.

“We worked to get Ms. Kathy Tuckey here because one of our initiatives for the year of 2019 as a whole is to revamp our family caregiver program so that we can enhance the type of services that we offer to caregivers,” Andrews said.“(Caregivers) often underserved and just forgotten.

“Dementia is one of the primary issues that many of our clients are facing as far as our caregivers are focused (on). For our family caregiver program, our people are caring for those who are age 60-plus. So in that group, many of the people are struggling with dementia, Alzheimer’s, as well as other medical conditions. When we can bring in a specialist like Ms. Kathy Tuckey, we like to do that.”

Tickets to the event are $25 for professional credits and $15 for other attendees. The Kay H. Hind Senior Life Enrichment Center is located at 335 W. Society Ave. Registrations can be made at http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=iqorbjqab&oeidk=a07efthx3my3cf24009.