This lecture will provide an overview of dementia as a public health priority and review the evidence for ways to support individuals living with the condition and their family members. Specific proven care programs will be reviewed and implications for preparing a workforce and their widespread dissemination discussed.

Registration and Light Reception: 6 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Lecture: 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Evaluations: 7:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.

Laura N. Gitlin, PhD, is a distinguished University professor, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions and an applied research sociologist. Previously at Johns Hopkins University, she was a professor of medicine at the School of Medicine with a joint appointment in psychiatry and behavioral sciences and a professor of community-public health at the School of Nursing. As the founding director of the Center for Innovative Care in Aging at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing she has been working on transforming healthcare delivery and the health and wellbeing of older adults and their families through rigorous research developing novel home and community-based interventions, trainings of health and human service professionals in evidence-based programs and models of care and translation and implementation of proven interventions in service delivery settings. Gitlin is nationally and internationally recognized for her research on psychosocial environmental home and community-based interventions that have been developed with various interprofessional teams to improve quality of life of persons with dementia and their family caregivers, to enhance daily function of older adults with functional disability and to address mental health disparities, particularly in older African Americans. She is a well-funded researcher, having received continuous research and training grants from federal agencies and private foundations for 35 years. 

In all of her research, she applies a social ecological perspective and person—family-directed approach to examine, intervene and support individuals and families. Gitlin’s efforts involve collaborating with community organizations, health and human service professionals and other stakeholders to maximize the relevance and impact of interventions. Her work on translating and implementing her many proven interventions (e.g., Adult Day Services Plus, COPE, Skills2CareR, Tailored Activity Program, ABLE, CAPABLE, Get Busy Get Better: Helping Older Adults Beat the Blues) for delivery in practice settings globally and in the United States will continue at the College of Nursing and Health Professions.

Gitlin is the recipient of many awards including most recently being inducted as an honorary fellow of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, the M. Powell Lawton Award from the Gerontological Society of America, honorary fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and a Leadership Service Commendation from the American Occupational Therapy Foundation. She is the author of close to 300 scientific publications including authoring or co-authoring six books, most of which are in multiple editions and the most recent published in 2016 on behavioral intervention research. A forthcoming book in 2018 is on transforming dementia care and services. Finally, her recent policy efforts include being appointed as the chair of the Health and Human Service’s Advisory Council for the National Alzheimer’s Project Act, co-chairing a national effort to organize the first National Research Summit on Care and Services for Persons with Dementia and their Caregivers, being appointed as a member of the Alzheimer’s Association medical advisory board and serving as member of the international Lancet Commission on dementia care that released its report, July 2017.

Target Audience: All professional nurses, physicians, physician assistants and other health professionals.

Nursing Contact Hours: 1.0 contact hour will be provided.

Outcome: Enable nurses and other health professionals to increase knowledge of dementia.

Accreditation: Drexel University (DREXEL) College of Nursing and Health Professions, Division of Continuing Nursing Education is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

DREXEL also has provider status with California BRN: Provider #CEP13661.

CME Credits: This program is not yet approved for CME credit. Conference organizers plan to request 1.0 hour of AAPA Category 1 CME credit from the Physician Assistant Review Panel. Total number of approved credits yet to be determined.

Overall Program Objective: Discuss dementia and the evidence for supporting individuals and families. 

Requirements for Successful Completion: RN participants must register prior to the program, attend the entire program and complete the online evaluation by the due date to receive nursing contact hours.

Disclosure Statement: All planners and presenters at nursing continuing education activities are required to disclose to the audience any significant financial relationships with the manufacturer(s) of any commercial products, goods or services. Such disclosures will be made in writing in the course presentation materials.

Unrestricted Educational Grant: This program made possible by an unrestricted educational grant from BAYADA Home Health Care.

Using his work on knee rehabilitation as a model, Williams will discuss how advances in science/technology and innovative thinking offer the promise of better rehabilitation outcomes while lowering costs and delivering care in a more client-friendly manner. He will discuss how recent investment in College of Nursing and Health Professions research infrastructure is enabling science that integrates advances in our understanding of neuromuscular function with novel applications of brain/neuroscience, medical imaging and wearable sensor technologies; work that’s a catalyst for next generation rehabilitation. Williams will challenge us to think broader and work more collaboratively while simplifying and improving the patient experience. He will probe the future of rehabilitation/healthcare and implications for educational programs like those offered by Drexel’s College of Nursing and Health Professions.

Registration and Light Reception: 6 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Lecture: 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Evaluations: 7:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.

Glenn Williams, PT, PhD, ATC is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences in the College of Nursing and Health Professions at Drexel University. Williams is a recognized leader in sports medicine with expertise in knee and ankle rehabilitation. His research focus areas include neuromuscular plasticity after knee joint injury, rehabilitation after ACL and meniscus injuries and knee osteoarthritis and has received research funding from the NIH, NFL Charities and industry. Williams is a graduate of the U.S. Army-Baylor University physical therapy program and received his PhD in Biomechanics and Movement Science at the University of Delaware. He served seven years as an Army physical therapist and directed physical therapy services at the United States Military Academy at West Point and Aberdeen Proving Ground prior to his doctoral training. Williams was faculty at the University of Iowa for 13 years before joining Drexel University in 2016.

Target Audience: All professional nurses, physicians, physician assistants and other health professionals.

Nursing Contact Hours: 1.0 contact hour will be provided.

Outcome: Enable nurses and other health professionals to increase knowledge on the use of science/technology and innovative thinking to improve rehabilitation outcomes.

Accreditation: Drexel University (DREXEL) College of Nursing and Health Professions, Division of Continuing Nursing Education is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

DREXEL also has provider status with California BRN: Provider #CEP13661.

CME Credits: This program is not yet approved for CME credit. Conference organizers plan to request 1.0 hour of AAPA Category 1 CME credit from the Physician Assistant Review Panel. Total number of approved credits yet to be determined.

Overall Program Objective: Discuss innovative strategies in rehabilitation therapy.

Requirements for Successful Completion: RN participants must register prior to the program, attend the entire program and complete the online evaluation by the due date to receive nursing contact hours.

Disclosure Statement: All planners and presenters at nursing continuing education activities are required to disclose to the audience any significant financial relationships with the manufacturer(s) of any commercial products, goods or services. Such disclosures will be made in writing in the course presentation materials.

Unrestricted Educational Grant: This program made possible by an unrestricted educational grant from BAYADA Home Health Care.