William H. Thomas, the doctor who devised the "Eden
Alternative," will lead the session about "Edenizing."
Thomas is a family physician in New York whose special
interests include the problems of institutionalized
elderly persons.
In addition to allowing residents to have pets,
Edenizing includes locating nursing homes in more
home-like settings in residential subdivisions, said
Mattie Umscheid, Education Services Coordinator for
the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging that conducts the
annual Summer Series on Aging.
Thomas' session at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 10, will
be followed by a workshop on the Green House Project.
The Green House Project refers to community-based,
long-term care facilities.
The 2001 Summer Series on Aging will be held at the
Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Lexington. Now in
its 18th year, the Summer Series has been attended
by hundreds of nursing home workers, home health care
and mental health personnel, allied health professionals,
pharmacists, physicians, case managers, nurses, nutritionists,
social workers, clergy, educators and other professionals.
Registration fees vary from $125 to $225 for all
three days with discounted rates for students and
groups of three or more from one agency. For a registration
form, contact Margaret Lyle, Ligon House, 658 South
Limestone, Lexington, KY 40506-0442 or call (859)
257-5179.
In addition to Thomas, other principal speakers for
the conference include LaVrene Norton, a faculty associate
at Johns Hopkins University; Neenah Ellis, a Peabody
Award-winning documentary film maker whose work includes
features on centenarians; and Allen D. Rose, secretary
of the Kentucky Cabinet for Workforce Development.
Norton will kick off the series with a 9 a.m. July
9 address titled "Unleash the Magic of Meaning--Slaying
the Dragons of Staff Shortages and Employee Turnover."
Norton is president of Action Pact Inc.
Public policy sessions will look at "Who is and Who
Should be in Control of Policies that Impact the Health
and Well-Being of Older Americans" and "Public Policy
Issues in Aging."
Other series sessions will deal with reducing malnutrition
and dehydration in nursing homes, preventing financial
exploitation, senior services for rural aging and
designs and tools for independent living.
Umscheid said the workshops are very multidisciplinary
and combine cutting edge information with traditional
programs in the field of geriatrics and gerontology.
CONTACTS: News media representatives are invited
to cover the Summer Series on Aging sessions. Call
Mattie Umscheid, (859) 323-6040, to make arrangements.
Journalists who would like to write advance news stories
about the Summer Series may contact Umscheid or Ralph
Derickson, (859) 257-1754. For email addresses and
telephone numbers of speakers.
