Keynotes and Workshops

 
Keynote – 2010 Wisconsin State Alzheimer’s Conference
 

Keynote – 2011 Invoa Healthcare System Leadership Institute

Creating a Caring Community

NAB Approved for 3.75 CEU’s for long-term care administrators and nurses

Keynote – 45 to 90 minutes

Workshop – 2 1/2 to 3 hours

Caring for those who can no longer care for themselves is physically and emotionally exhausting. Because of the physical demands and the associated emotional strain, both family caregivers and professional caregivers have a tendency ignore self-care, and they frequently encounter situations that cause them to experience anger, guilt, depression and grief.

When both types of caregivers understand the challenges and rewards experienced by the other, they can work together more effectively to provide the best possible care for their care receivers.

With a unique delivery that touches the heart and tickles the funny bone, Elaine delivers a message that bridges the gap between family and professional caregivers and helps build caring communities.

Her presentations are based on her unflinchingly honest and uproariously funny book, Letters from Madelyn, Chronicles of a Caregiver, and Dorothy’s Journal (a book in progress). Madelyn Kubin, a Kansas farm wife, (Elaine’s mother) wrote letters to her during the six-years she cared for her husband following his debilitating stroke. Dorothy Tucker is a nurse who journaled her thoughts and experiences during the 30 years she worked in nursing homes and Alzheimer’s care communities.

By comparing and contrasting the experiences of these two women, Elaine provides insights into the challenges and emotional stress experienced by both family and professional caregivers. She offers practical, applicable step-by-step process to help them implement their own personalized caregiver survival plan, tips on dealing with challenging behaviors, and insights on how both types of caregivers can work together to provide the best possible care for the patient.

Elaine has been been described as a combination between Garrison Keillor and Erma Bombeck, but don’t let the entertainment value of this program fool you. The message is profound.

Both healthcare professionals and family caregivers love the keynote and workshop, because it speaks to the heart of all that is good about caring for those who can no longer care for themselves; it gives attendees permission to be human, and it offers strategies for dealing with others when they are most vulnerable, demanding, and sometimes disagreeable.

“Elaine is unsurpassed as a speaker on elder care. She puts her heart, her incredibly savvy insight and amazing sense of humor into her work. Original, inspiring, hilarious, down to earth, and practical all in one!” – MS Department of Mental Health-Alzheimer’s Division

Finding Hope and Humor in Caregiving . . . “and for this I take Vitamins!”

Keynote – 45 to 90 minutes

In this presentation Elaine brings compassion, hope, and humor to some very difficult and delicate issues faced by family caregivers. The stories are based on her book, “Letters from Madelyn, Chronicles of a Caregiver” and her own personal experience of caring for family elders. Excerpts from cards and emails:

“Thank you for giving me permission to be human.”
 
“ I was in tears from the time you spoke of your dad’s death through the rest of the talk — it touched my heart and ministered to me.  The timing was perfect, because I had slammed the car door on Tuesday after dealing with my dad for six hours!  Thanks to you I have permission to laugh about it now and will hopefully keep things in better perspective in the future. I’m keeping your survival tip card in my purse to refer to often when I’m hopping around between our five elderly relatives.”
 
“I just had to tell you how much I enjoyed you sharing your story with us. Your presentation was so encouraging and uplifting. It actually helped me to understand some of the things that have happened. I just wish I had known you five years ago.”
 
“Your presentation was honest, wise, and real. What a woman!  I love Madelyn!”

 
“Thank you for letting me know that what I am feeling is “normal”. “You handle difficult topics with such humor, grace, and poignancy. Your stories left all of the attendees feeling inspired and hopeful.”

Although this keynote is laugh-out-loud funny, it delivers a powerful message about understanding and coping with the emotional stress of caring for an aged, chronically ill, or disabled loved ones. Take-away messages:

• In order to care for the aged, disabled, and chronically ill, a person must first learn to care for him/herself
• Even in the very worst end of life situations, that there is still opportunity for mental and spiritual growth
• As long as we have the ability to think and reason, we have the power to control our attitude toward any person, thing, or event

“So,God, what are WE going to do today?” A Spiritual Journey Through Life, Loss, Love, & Laughter

Keynote – 45 – 90 minutes

Delightfully irreverent and deeply inspirational, this one-woman play provides anyone with a heavy burden and an open mind a huge emotional and spiritual boost – along with several good belly laughs.

From actual letters, Elaine shares her mother’s spiritual journey through six years of caregiving. At the very beginning, Madelyn prays that she will be a willing channel for God’s love and caring. Some days she is . . . some days she isn’t. On more than one occasion she’s even told God that she is DONE! She is sick and tired of this game and He can just go find himself another servant!

Although she has moments when she questions her faith and wants to run away from her life, she never stops searching for spiritual enlightenment and a deeper understanding of God. She listens to Deepak Chopra tapes, learns to meditate, practices yoga, dabbles in flower essence, and at age 75 becomes a certified Reiki instructor.

As she approaches the end of her struggle to care for her husband, she becomes aware that she really has developed a personal and profound relationship with God.

God did not restore her husband’s health. God did not place the winning lottery ticket in her hand and solve her financial worries. God did not even fix Madelyn’s physical problems. But God did show her that:

• God does not expect perfection
• With faith, grace, and humor we find strength beyond reason
• God never gives up on us, even if we give up on God

This presentation is not just for caregivers. It is appreciated by men and women alike. Elaine has presented this program to numerous secular groups along with Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Unitarian Universalist congregations. Attendees have high praise for Madelyn’s faith, grace, and humor and Elaine’s unique style of delivery.

Workshops:

Caregiver Survival Training

Workshop – 2 hours, half-day, full day

Caregiver Survival Training – For Family Caregivers Workshop: 2 hours, ½ day, full day Caregivers and mental health care experts alike have praised this workshop and the accompanying 29-page workbook. Depending on the event, Elaine can focus primarily on family caregivers, or she can broaden the presentation by discussing the issues that contribute to the emotional stress experienced by professional caregivers. The workshop is interactive and includes a self-assessment; strategies for developing an “Attitude of Creative Indifference” toward caregiver anger, guilt, depression, and grief, and a step-by-step process that helps people develop their own personalized caregiver survival plan. People leave feeling relieved, refreshed, and validated, and with an enhanced awareness of the importance of self care. They take away tools that will help them understand and cope with their negative emotions, and their own personalized caregiver survival plan. Attendees laugh and cry when Elaine shares stories from her book, Letters from Madelyn, that reinforce the importance of:

• Setting limits
• Getting the right equipment
• Learning  something new
• Staying connected socially
• Savoring happy memories
• Redefining fun
• Developing  your spiritual nature
• Allowing others to help
• Accepting death as a part of life
• Controlling your attitude

            The Workbook can be customized to include sponsor information and/or logos.

Boomer Boot Camp

Workshop – 2 hours, half-day

On August 3, 2006 Elaine and her husband drove to the airport to pick up Elaine’s recently widowed, 80 year-old Aunt Jean, who had decided to move to Oregon to be close to family. The following morning Jean tripped on a rug going into Starbuck’s and broke her hip.

Standing in the emergency room unable to answer questions about her aunt’s insurance, medical history, medications, allergies, and what rehab facility she should go to following surgery, Elaine realized she was completely unprepared to manage this immediate crisis.

She also realized she had no idea of how she would manage Jean’s healthcare or finances if something happened and Jean was no longer capable of making those decisions herself. Elaine didn’t know what kind of assets her aunt had or where she kept them. She didn’t know what her wishes were regarding end-of-life care or how she felt about life support and tube feeding. She didn’t even know where her uncle was buried.

That experience inspired her to create the Boomer Boot Camp Workshop and Workbook. The Workshop helps adult children learn how to work with their aging parents so they can choose up front how their healthcare, finances, and personal possessions will be managed through the final stages of their lives.

Topics covered include:

• Starting difficult conversations
• Assessing their safety
• Creating a support network
• Gathering and organizing important documents
• Finding resources to help keep them in their homes
• Checking out long-term care facilities
• Negotiating the Medicare/Medicaid Maze
• Completing end-of-life documents

Partial Client List

National Healthcare Corporation, Murfreesburough, TN
Inova Health System, Falls Church, VA
State of Mississippi,Department of Mental Health, Alzheimer’s Conference, Olive Branch, MS
Alzheimer’s Care Coalition, Lafayette, IN
The Kensington, White Plains, NY
Oregon State University Gerontology Conference, Corvallis, OR
Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon, 2011 State Conference, Eugene, OR
Prestige Care Living, LLC, Vancouver, WA
Wisconsin State Alzheimer’s Association, The Dells, WI
Alzheimer’s Association, Long Island, New York
McGinty Alzheimer’s Conference, Portland, Oregon
Big Sioux Alzheimer’s Conference, Sioux City, Iowa
Dakota Prairie Helping Hands, Hettinger, North Dakota
Oregon Alzheimer’s Network, Salem, Oregon
Kansas Area Agencies on Aging Association, Kansas City, Kansas
National Family Caregiver Support Conference, Soldotna, Alaska
Senior Health Insurance Benefit Agency, Salem, Oregon
Partners in Care Hospice, Bend, Oregon
Chemeketa Community College, Salem, Oregon
Coconino Community College, Flagstaff, Arizona
Silverton Hospital, Silverton, Oregon
A Gift of Time- Caregivers Respite Weekend Retreat, Salem, Oregon
Center 50+, Salem, Oregon
Care Connections’ Lifespan Respite Program & Curry Health Network, Brookings, OR
Care Connections’ Lifespan Respite Program of SW Oregon Community College, Coos Bay, OR
Michael Wooters, Financial Planner, Edward Jones, Salem, Oregon
The Law Office of Eden Rose Brown, Salem, Oregon

To schedule a speaking engagement, please contact:

Jo Cavender at Speakers on Healthcare

EMAIL: Info@SpeakersOnHealthcare.com

TELEPHONE: 503-345-9164