Despite provider empathy and good intentions, not all older persons are responsive in the service interaction. This training will help participants identify, understand and respond more effectively to consumers who exhibit challenging behaviors.

This course will help participants understand that behavior has meaning and as service providers we must understand the importance of identifying what is underlying the behavior in order to effectively work with the individual. The interactive training is based on a behavioral approach and reinforces learning with case review from participants’ practice as well as training case examples/videos.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a three-part series of half-day sessions. To receive the 9 CEUs available, you much attend all three sessions in the series.

Learning Objectives

In this series of three sessions you will:

• Examine a variety of problematic behaviors encountered in older consumers: the resistantconsumer, the angry consumer, the paranoid and passive consumer. 
• Outline practical strategies for dealing with such behaviors and consider how these behaviors relate to important behavioral health diagnoses and conditions 
• Understand the implications of your personal style and issues in dealing with difficult consumer behaviors. 

Trainer: 

Nancy Morrow draws on more than 35 years of experience in a variety of roles in community-based long-term care and geriatric behavioral health. She provides training and consultation services in aging and teaches in the MSW program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice.

Positive and negative stress is a constant influence on all our lives. The trick is to maximize the positive stress and minimize the negative stress. You will learn how stress can be positive and negative and explore the Triple A approach that will form the basis of this workshop.

This Stress Management course will give participants a three-option method for addressing any stressful situation, as well as a toolbox of personal skills, including using routines, relaxation techniques, and a stress log system. They will also understand what lifestyle elements they can change to reduce stress.

Learning Objectives

After this workshop you will be able to:

• Identify the major stressors in your work and personal life.
• Identify lifestyle elements that may be contributing to your stress.
• How to use routines and relaxation techniques to deal with stress.
• How and why to maintain a stress log system

This training is designed to familiarize direct service workers and others new to the aging network with the resources available for seniors in Philadelphia.  The training will contain:

o   Telephone information and referral

o   PCA resource coordination and the department’s resource directory - resource material will be shared.

o   PCA’s Emergency Fund --- who it is for and how to use it, other FUEL resources.

o   Provide practice opportunities for using resource information.

 Sesson Time: 10:00 AM - Noon

Trainer: Lissette Sarfraz, MSS, LSW - Community Relations Manager PCA.