A one-day symposium, "Dementia Beyond Drugs & Disease," will be held March 6 in Oxnard. Healthcare professionals, administrators and family caregivers will learn the latest on person-centered and non-pharmacological care for people living with dementia.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 percent of adults aged 65 and older have dementia. "It's important for caregivers to have the tools that emphasize dignity, well-being and meaningful engagements with individuals with dementia," said Keith Gosselin, executive director of Long Term Care Services of Ventura County, which is organizing the symposium. “Dementia care is evolving as we better understand the disease. The symposium will present the most up-to-date methods to improve quality of life.”

Featured speaker Dr. G. Allen Power, author and geriatrician, has developed a well-being, proactive approach to support people with dementia over the past two decades. He will present research challenging conventional practices and common assumptions about dementia and provide evidence-based strategies and communication techniques for healthcare professionals, caregivers and family members. “We’ve seen that a patient-centered approach enhances the well-being of people living with dementia while reducing the reliance on medications,” says Power. “It’s about changing the current culture of care.”

Tony Chicotel, a legal advocate for elder rights, will provide legal insights into dementia care policies, and discuss the legal risks and protections in dementia care. 

The symposium will be held at the Staybridge Suites Oxnard-River Ridge (2102 West Vineyard Ave. Oxnard) from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The cost is $35 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://ombudsmanventura.org/symposium.

Long Term Care Services of Ventura County, Inc.

In 1981, two members of the National Council of Jewish Women founded the Ombudsman program in Ventura County. In 1988 the founders, Bee Ellisman and Shirley Radding, created Long Term Care Services of Ventura County, Inc., a not-for-profit charitable corporation, to administer the Ombudsman program. The Ombudsman’s mission is to assure the highest quality of life and care possible for our elderly and disabled in long-term care facilities throughout Ventura County. For more information, go to https://ombudsmanventura.org.