Libraries Transform Minds Conference

Details

Lunch will be catered by the Millennium Café, and there will be no cost to attend.

This will be a live, in-person, day-long conference – there will be no recordings. Presentation descriptions may be found at the bottom of this event page.

• Date: Thursday, September 12
• Time: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
• Location: Marvin Auditorium, Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
• Address: 1515 SW 10th Ave, Topeka, KS 66604
• Cost: Free for Library Staff to Attend
• Contact: Dan Alexander, NEKLS or Brenda Hough, TSCPL
• Registration: https://forms.gle/qFXpsAa1A3N9Rvz17

Schedule

9:00: Arrival, sign-in, light breakfast
9:30: Welcome and Overview of the day
9:45: You’re Just Now Old Enough! with author Connie Michaelis
10:30: Break
10:45: The Aging Brain with Dr. Maritza Buenaver
11:40: Table Activity
12:00: Lunch
1:00: Shelf Care: What Libraries Can Do to Support Caregivers with Kelly G. Loeb of KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
1:45: Programming for Dementia with Tami Hurst of Olathe Public Library
2:30: Break
2:40: Discussion Topic Tables
3:20: Wrap-Up and Adjourn

You’re Just Now Old Enough!

Description: Attitude is everything when it comes to aging. When we embrace the future and all that it brings, we are in the right mindset to age successfully. My career has allowed me to meet thousands of Seniors and their families. I’ve seen it all and determined that the biggest difference between those who are happy and engaged and those who are grumpy and angry is their attitude. Along with a positive attitude, I advocate lifelong learning, socialization, movement, and having fun.

“You don’t stop having fun because you’re old; you’re old when you stop having fun!”

Presenter: Connie is a passionate advocate for healthy aging. With years of experience in sales and marketing, including hospice, durable medical equipment, and retirement living, she has become a knowledgeable problem solver for life transitions. As a weekly newspaper columnist and author of Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging, Connie speaks and writes to encourage and support seniors and their families. Connie has a BA in biology and history from the University of Kansas and a teaching degree in secondary education. Her family consists of six children and 15 grandchildren

The Aging Brain

Description: Library staff will learn about brain changes with aging, including normal changes and abnormal changes, as well as presentation of the most common types of dementia. Will understand risk factors for cognitive decline and review tips for healthy aging, including factors that libraries can help address such as staying active and engaged by learning as well as  interacting with individuals who may be experiencing  dementia.

Presenter: Dr. Maritza Buenaver is a Diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry and neurology with sub specialization in Geriatric Psychiatry and Hospice and Palliative medicine. Completed Medical School and Psychiatric Residency at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City Campus. Trained in Geriatric Psychiatry fellowship at the University of Iowa Hospital and clinics, where she also received clinical practice in Hospice and Palliative care . Dr. Buenaver spent 11 years as a director of the Behavioral Health Community Living Center (Geriatric psychiatry care) at the Topeka VA. Currently, Dr. Buenaver provides care to Veterans in long-term care settings, namely State Veteran’s homes, through Clinical Video Telehealth and E-consults to the inpatient and outpatient settings as well as an expert  Consultee  for the VA National Expert Consultation & Specialized Services – Mental Health Geriatric Psychiatry Telehealth Program (NEXCSS-MH) reaching out to rural areas within the country. She is an assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN.  Specialized in assessment and treatment of mental health disorders in the elderly, dementia evaluation and treatment, focusing on non-pharmacological interventions and education of caregivers of persons with dementia. Recipient of a Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program-HRSA grant for Dementia education, she has led multiple community conferences, has presented some of her work at the national level and has been a guest Speaker of the KACE (Kansas Adult Care Executives) Annual meeting in 2018 and 2022.   Introduced Virtual reality into multidisciplinary education at the Topeka Veterans Administration as well as training of un-paid caregivers in rural Kansas. Currently runs 2 rural Dementia Caregiver support groups in Kansas.  Dr Buenaver enjoys educating members of the geriatric interdisciplinary team, geriatric fellows, resident physicians, psychology interns, medical students, nursing students and caregivers in the community.

Shelf Care: What Libraries Can Do to Support Caregivers

Description: Check out this session on how libraries transform the minds of family caregivers of people experiencing cognitive change. From cataloguing must-reads on dementia details to hosting educational forums on detection, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure, libraries are well-positioned to scaffold patrons. Presenter Kelly G. Loeb, MSW will share about how libraries can replicate innovative programs for caregivers – including the Family Series and the Breakfast Club – that don’t go by the book! Taking advantage of technology and maximizing community strengths don’t have to be overdue – renew your library’s commitment to reading between the lines for nurturing, empowerment and compassion.

Presenter: Kelly G. Loeb, MSW, is the Community Engagement Coordinator at the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, where she hosts the Weekly Webinar about brain health, writes and distributes the MyAlliance for Brain Health newsletter (in English and Spanish) and works alongside researchers advancing us to detection, treatment, prevention and cure of dementia. She is a member of the Community Leadership Board of the Alzheimer’s Association – Heart of America Chapter. Kelly has more than 20 years of experience educating, guiding and nurturing people experiencing cognitive change and their communities and she fervently works toward the day when Alzheimer’s disease (which both of her beloved grandmothers had) is just a memory.

Programming for Dementia

Description: Research shows that many people living with dementia can still read and benefit from a wide variety of library materials. Tami will share straightforward methods to create more dementia-friendly libraries, along with practical advice on selecting reading materials tailored to each individual.

Presenter: Tami Hurst has worked for the Olathe Public Library in Olathe, Kansas for 22 years. For the past 6 years, she has coordinated the Olathe Public Library’s Library to You service, a free home delivery service for individuals who can’t physically travel to the library. She and her coworker Roya Mortazavi also make monthly visits to local retirement communities and care centers to do outreach and literacy-based programming such as Tales and Travel Memories programs for older adults. Tami has a personal interest in improving the quality of life for people living with dementia as her father passed away from Alzheimer’s in 2019.