Spiritual Care and Ministry to the Person with Advancing Alzheimer’s Disease
A day-long seminar for clergy and other pastoral caregivers

Tuesday, August 26
8:30 am-3:30 pm
Copper Ridge
710 Obrecht Road
Sykesville, Maryland 21784

Registration Fee: $15
includes course materials, lunch and refreshment breaks

RSVP Online

Directions to Copper Ridge

Alzheimer’s disease is a common illness afflicting primarily older persons. The deterioration of cognitive functioning as the disease advances leads to a loss of thinking and communication abilities. Nevertheless, even persons with far-advanced impairments are able to respond with joy to spiritual experiences. The ability to understand the spiritual needs of the poorly or non-communicating person is critical to being able to establish a secure spiritual connection and to ensuring that such needs are met.

The goal of this seminar is to help clergy-persons and other pastoral caregivers enhance their knowledge and skills in providing spiritual care to persons with advancing cognitive impairment and their caregivers.

Objectives:By the end of the seminar, the participant should be able to, with regard to ministering to persons with advancing cognitive impairment,

§         delineate the process of cognitive deterioration

§         define communication challenges and methods of overcoming them

§         perform a spiritual assessment

§         promote life-enhancing spiritual experiences

§         discuss methods of making and sustaining spiritual connections

§         describe the challenges brought on by the changing relationship between such persons and their caregivers

§         define the unique aspects of providing ministry to their caregivers

 

Faculty:

Alva S. Baker, MD

The Rev. Wayne Larson

The Rev. Sarah Lewis

Marcie Koenig, LCSW-C, NHA

Stephen Vozzella, ADC

Sponsors:
The Center for the Study of Aging at McDaniel College

The Copper Ridge Institute