29th Annual Conference and AGM

"Gerontological Nurses Leading the Way"

Capri Hotel and Convention Centre, Red Deer, Alberta
Friday, April 30, 2010

Speakers

Donna Stelmahovich

Opening Keynote

The opening keynote speaker was Donna Stelmahovich, the Vice President of Seniors Health, the Alberta Health Services provincial planning portfolio. Donna quoted the numbers that make this planning process so important;

Â Albertans over 65 years -

in 2010 -320,000
and in 2020 - 550,000
and in 2030 - 880,000

an exponential increase that will have huge impacts on the health system. She brought us the bigger picture â€“ giving us a better understanding of the Provinceâ€Ÿs Continuing Care Strategy and the specific initiatives that will move the plan forward and enable more effective service to older adults in the coming years. She articulated the evolving and meaningful role of all levels of nursing and encouraged AGNA to promote and support the collaborative work that is needed to maximize the difference that nursing can make.

About Donna

Ms. Stelmahovich is the Vice President, Seniors Health with Alberta Health Services. Donna is passionate about Seniors Care and has worked with her team to introduce increased choice of care options for seniors integrated with a strong Home Care Program. Donna has been an active participant on multiple regional and provincial committees and continues to participate and remain actively involved in setting direction for Seniorsâ€™ Health programs in Alberta Health Services.

Dr. Jasneet Parmar

Assessment of Decision-making Capacity

Our second speaker was Dr Jasneet Parmar, Associate Professor, Dept. of Family Medicine with University of Alberta and the chair of the Capacity assessment steering group with Covenant Health. Dr Parmar shared very helpful information about the new Adult Guardianship and Trustee Act (proclaimed in October 2009). She clearly articulated the underlying principles of capacity and described the range of decision making options now available with the new act (ie co, specific and supported decision making). Information about the Personal Directives Act and specific details about capacity assessment were discussed.

Dr Parmar also shared the "capacity care map" that was developed by Covenant Health to aid the implementation of the new laws.

About Jasneet

Dr. Parmar is an Associate Professor, Dept. of Family Medicine and is the chair of the Capacity assessment steering group, Covenant Health, responsible for implementing the 'Capacity assessment model'. She has recently worked with the Office of Public Guardian in providing education on Provisions of Capacity under the Personal Directive Act and the new Adult Guardianship and Trusteeship Act.

Teresa Bateman

Leader-Ship â€“ Are you On-Board or Walking the Plank?

Our third speaker was Teresa Bateman, the director of professional Practice for the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta. She took a more personal focus on leadership with a presentation entitled "Leadership â€“ Are you on board or walking the plank?". In recounting the history of nursing in her family, from grandmother, mother and now herself, Teresa described her own journey to leadership and the learnings she had along the way. She said we are all leaders in our own right and described the necessary attitudes of a leader â€“ the need for reflection, the importance of co-creating and supporting the evolution of others, working with chaos to find the order and constant considerations of whatâ€Ÿs possible. She reminded us of the great privilege of being a nurse.

About Teresa

Ms. Bateman is the Director of Professional Practice at the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta.Teresa has a Certificate in Adult and Continuing Education from the University of Alberta and is a current graduate student in the Masters of Arts-Professional Communication program at Royal Roads University. Teresa is passionate about the nursing profession and works toward creating and promoting collaborative team environments in everything she does.

Mollie Cole

Closing Keynote: "Lead From Wherever You Are"

Our final speaker of the day was Mollie Cole, a long time gerontology nurse who has been involved as an educator in long term care, clinical specialist in acute care and more recently with the provincial dementia strategy.

Mollie's presentation Lead from Wherever You Are, focused on characteristics of amazing leaders. She shared a video called Leadership, the Art of Possibility (which is available through the Education Resource Centre for Continuing Care V-1785A). The intent of the video was to encourage leaders in new ways of experiencing stories and discovering practices with the following: speaking possibility; enrolling people in the journey to radiating possibility; leading by making others more powerful; enrolling every voice in the vision; looking for shining eyes; quieting the 'I can't do it' voice; and everyone gets an 'A'. Mollie asked the conference participants to share ideas with each other about the skills that made for really successful leaders. She left us with a challenge to each become better leaders, regardless of where we are in an organization and to remember that we can all lead from 'whereever we are.'

About Mollie

Ms. Cole is working with the provincial stream of Seniors Health developing a Provincial Cognitive Impairment Strategy for AHS. For more than 20 years Mollie has focused her practice on improving care of older adults â€“ especially those with cognitive impairments. She has been a member of AGNA since 1987 and is currently the co-chair of the Calgary Chapter.Â

Booths, Poster Presentations and AGM

At lunch and during our refreshment breaks, we had the opportunity to check out the booths and poster presentations. A popcorn snack in the afternoon was well received. There were lots of conversations, new and renewed connections, warmth and laughter .

Our AGM took place with the very capable leadership of president Bonnie Launhardt. All the proposed resolutions and bylaw changes were passed. Reports were presented by the treasurer, chapter and committee chairs. This information will be posted on the AGNA web site in the near future. The incoming president, Lisa LeBlanc was introduced and launched into AGNAâ€Ÿs first two year presidential term.

At the end of the day everyone headed home, satisfied with great presenters, good conversations and lots of new ideas to consider.

Thank you to the organizing committee under the leadership of Lisa LeBlanc.

Thank you to the sponsors, the presenters and all who contributed to the success of the day.

Weâ€Ÿll see you again in April 2011 !!Â

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Platinum Sponsors

NORQUEST COLLEGE

MACEWAN UNIVERSITY

Gold Sponsors

ALBERTA CONTINUING CARE ASSOCIATIONÂ Â Â
SCA PERSONAL CARE
COLlEGE OF LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSES of ALBERTA
CAREWEST
UNITED ACTIVE LIVING
CANADIAN GERONTOLOGICAL NURSES ASSOCIATION
COLLEGE AND ASSOCIATION of REGISTERED NURSES of ALBERTA
OMEGA COMMUNICATONS