STATEWIDE VOP CONFERENCE CALLS:
In order to
help keep you as connected to the VOP as possible, we are adding
Statewide VOP Conference Calls to our schedule every other month
beginning in May.
During
odd-numbered months (e.g., May, July, September), we will hold the
call on the third Wednesday at 2 p.m. The call will last
approximately one hour and will include information about the
latest program updates and provide an opportunity for Q & A
with a VOP Coordinator and a Local Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
Our first
Statewide VOP Conference Call is scheduled for May 20 at 2 p.m. and
will be led by VOP Coordinator Sarah Hinzman and Local Long-Term
Care Ombudsman Pam Railsback. To join, call (877) 273-4202 and
enter the Conference Room Number (877-693-990).
If you cannot
participate, you can read notes from the call online in the VOP
Communiques section of our website.
LECTURES:
University
of Iowa 2015 Geriatric Lecture Series (offered online each month)
The
University of Iowa Geriatric Lecture Series is presented online in
a series of monthly lectures. The 2015 series, which is sponsored
by the Iowa Geriatric Education Center and the University of Iowa
Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, is free and will
focus on dementia. Each lecture can be viewed for one month and is
accessible exclusively during the month it is scheduled beginning
the first business day of each month.
To register
for the series, email the Iowa Geriatric Education Center at geriatric-education@uiowa.edu
with your name, discipline (e.g., nursing, medicine, social work),
organization or facility name and your contact information,
including your email address. Please allow at least one week to
receive a response.
Upcoming
topics:
- May -
"Exercise Effects on Cognitive Function in Mild Cognitive
Impairment"
- June
- "Caregiving Networks and Family Communication in
Dementia"
> View the full schedule
EVENTS & CONFERENCES:
Iowa
Fraud Fighters Forums
May
14 (11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
PZAZZ!
Convention & Event Center
3001
Winegard Drive
Burlington,
IA 52601
Each year,
con artists swindle more than 5 million Americans over the age of
60 out of almost $3 billion. Iowa Insurance Commissioner Nick
Gerhart invites you to attend an Iowa Fraud Fighters Forum
presented by your state regulator, the Iowa Insurance Division, and
learn how to avoid common scams and report fraud.
The event is
free and includes lunch, presentations and opportunities to visit
with exhibitors. Seating is limited and registration is required by
May 7.
Another event
is scheduled to take place in Council Bluffs on June 11. Check the
Fraud Fighters website for future registration information.
> Register
PEER GROUP MEETINGS:
Meet with
other Volunteer Ombudsmen in your area to network and learn from
one another. Each meeting lasts about 1-2 hours.
- Washington
(Wednesday, May 27, 10 a.m.)
- Cedar
Rapids (Tuesday, June 9)
- Cedar
Falls (Wednesday, July 22, 10 a.m.)
If you would
like to attend one of these meetings and have not already RSVP'd to
your Peer Group Facilitator, or if you are interested in organizing
a Peer Group in your area, please contact your VOP Coordinator.
TRAINING REFRESHER:
It has come
to our attention that some Volunteer Ombudsmen feel like they would
benefit from a training refresher on the fundamentals of the
VOP.
If you feel
you would benefit from attending new Volunteer Ombudsman training,
you are welcome to attend in whole or in part!
Upcoming
trainings for new volunteers are scheduled as follows:
- Iowa
City (May 12, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
- Mason
City (May 27, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
If you would
like to attend, contact your VOP Coordinator for more details. If
you can't make a training refresher, but feel like one-on-one
assistance would be helpful, please contact your VOP Coordinator at
any time.
ARTICLES, WEBSITES & VIDEOS:
Information
on Resident-to-Resident Mistreatment
Aggression
between residents of long-term care facilities is a serious, yet
hidden, problem. All residents have the right to be free from all
forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation, and can take action if
they feel they have been mistreated. A new brochure and large-font
fact sheet from the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term
Care and the National Center on Elder Abuse identify types of
mistreatment, share information about residents' rights and provide
a list of resources where residents can go for help.
>
View the Materials
"Understanding
and Changing the Way Americans Think About Aging"
On Tuesday, May
5, at 1p.m., a free webinar will be offered for anyone who is
interested in improving aging services and policies through
effective communication. Research was commissioned by eight
national aging organizations, including AARP.
> Register for the Webinar
"Achieving
Cultural Competence for the Younger Adult in the Long-Term Care
Setting"
This two-part
webinar addresses the unique challenges and opportunities younger
adults in long-term care settings pose for staff. Discussion
focuses on identifying needs, prioritizing competing interests and
facilitating relationships within a cultural context that honors
this cohort of residents but provides clear guidance to staff.
Presented by faculty from the University of Iowa School of Social
Work. Part 1 is scheduled for May 5 at 1 p.m.; Part 2 is scheduled
for June 10 at 2 p.m.
(Note, you must
register for each part separately.)
> Register for Part 1
> Register for Part 2
"Caring
for Mom & Dad"
This PBS
documentary explores the emotional, health and financial challenges
that family caregivers face every day as they care for aging
parents in addition to balancing work and family. Premieres
Thursday, May 7 (check local listing).
> Watch a video trailer
