Isolation. Livelihoods upended. Elders dying alone in nursing homes. Youth separated from peers and teachers. The list of losses is exhaustive and exhausting. While loss is nothing new, this pandemic has overwhelmed us with a tragedy previously unimaginable. How do we grieve? Joan Gibson will examine the role and rituals of grief throughout history, across cultures. Participants are invited to reflect on their personal losses. How do our attitudes toward grieving help or hinder healing? Joan Gibson, PhD, is a philosopher and consultant in applied ethics, bioethics, and values-based decision-making. With over 30 years of ethics-related experience in a variety of settings, she has chaired a hospital ethics committee, founded and directed UNM’s Health Sciences Ethics Program. Her latest book, PAUSE: How to Turn Tough Choices into Strong Decisions, offers advice on making difficult personal decisions where stakes are high and values run deep.

Dementia is a broad term for the symptoms of cognitive decline. It affects the person with dementia, as well as their family, friends, and wider community. Review the forms of dementia and the biological, emotional, and physical symptoms. Gain tools and information—including tips, behavior do’s and don’ts, and self-care strategies—to successfully interact with and/or care for a person that may be suffering from cognitive decline. You can focus more on being a family/friend and less on the challenges that often accompany dementia. Kim O’Roark, Cognitive Therapeutics Manager at Home Care Assistance of New Mexico, became interested in dementia, especially how to manage it, when her grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She became a Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer and a Certified Dementia Practitioner, while maintaining Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist status. Her focus is providing optimal engagement for those with dementia, making care easier for their loved ones, and improving quality of life for both by setting up trainings and programs across the western US.

Āyurveda, known as the sister-science of Yoga, is a system based upon the five elements of ether:  air, fire, water, and earth.  These five elements combine to form  three doshas  (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha).  We each have these three doshas in varying proportions at birth, and this original ratio tends to change due to stresses of modern living.  Come explore how Āyurveda supports the process of moving from a state of imbalance toward the harmony of balance. Julie Dunlop, author of Ocean of Yoga:  Meditations on Yoga and Āyurveda for Balance, Awareness, and Well-Being, has been an adjunct faculty member in the English Department at CNM for seventeen years.  She is a certified yoga teacher RYT-500 through Yoga Alliance and a certified Ayurvedic Practitioner through the National Ayurvedic Medical Association. Weaving together language, poetry, yoga, and Āyurveda, she enjoys sharing pathways to well-being supporting the overall health of our community.

Are you a caregiver to a family member? We know the challenges and rewards of being a caregiver. Join us to learn about the customized training modules available to caregivers through New Mexico Caregivers Coalition-- a statewide training and advocacy organization. We also discuss skills essential for caring for a loved one, as well important concepts and practices such as person-centered care, effective communication strategies, infection prevention, safe transfer, mobility, and self-care. Limited enrollment. Adrienne R. Smith is founder, president, and CEO of the New Mexico Caregivers Coalition, a statewide organization that advocates for and advances the professional development and workforce issues of New Mexico’s direct caregivers. Her areas of expertise include youth development, youth employment, workforce development, resource development, and advocacy. She has a Bachelor’s in Biology from Millsaps College and a Master’s in Public Policy and International Administration from University of Texas at San Antonio.