WEBCAST
The Role of the Geriatric Healthcare Team in Hospice and Palliative Care
Description
The Role of the Geriatric Healthcare Team in Hospice and Palliative Care
Join us as we explore the integrated roles of physical therapy and social work in hospice care. This session will delve into the challenges faced by geriatric patients at the end of life, highlighting how physical therapy and social work collaboratively enhance their quality of life. Experienced practitioners will share insights on specialized interventions, pain management, mobility strategies, and holistic approaches for optimizing comfort and dignity. The presentation will also cover psychosocial support, communication facilitation, and emotional support strategies, essential in addressing the comprehensive needs of terminally ill individuals and their families. Attendees will gain practical knowledge in developing multidisciplinary care plans, tailoring exercise programs, and providing compassionate, holistic care in geriatric hospice settings. This session aims to equip professionals with the skills necessary for effective, integrated hospice care.
About The Speaker(s)
Susanny Beltran, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the School
of Social Work at the University of Central Florida and Co-Director of the
Center for Behavioral Health Research and Training. She holds a Ph.D. in Social
Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and both a master’s degree in
social work and bachelor’s degree in psychology from Florida International
University. As a
social worker with practice experience with older adults across the continuum
of care (e.g., community waiver programs, assisted living, nursing homes), Dr.
Beltran’s work aims to remove
barriers to end-of-life care for underserved groups. Recent studies have explored predictors of
terminal agitation in hospice, Latino families’ expectations of hospice at enrollment,
and predictors of nursing home-hospice collaboration. Currently, she is developing
a process to improve transitions to palliative and hospice care for nursing
home residents with dementia, through a project funded by the Florida
Department of Health. Dr. Calvert, PT, DPT, graduated from Nova Southeastern
University – Tampa campus in 2017. After graduation, she worked in outpatient
physical therapy in the Tampa- University area and has continued her clinical
work specializing in treating the geriatric population. She has experience in
acute care, wound care, and hospice PT. Currently, Dr. Calvert is faculty at
the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Gannon University in Ruskin, FL. Dr.
Calvert is a DHSc candidate in Productive Aging at Bay Path University.
Research interests include mental health, mindfulness, dementia and related
disorders, and balance. She has been a member of APTA and FPTA since 2013. She
currently serves as Chair for the WCD District of the FPTA.