Healthcare Professional Educational Webinar: Person-Centered Care for Behavioral Variant FTDStart time where you are: 08:00 pm UTC

The symptoms of behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD), the most common FTD disorder, include impaired executive functioning and social comportment. Caregivers of persons with bvFTD face a unique set of challenges, including young age, competing life demands such as work and raising children, lack of public awareness about FTD, and limited supportive resources. After a diagnosis, nurses and social workers play a critical role in supporting families to navigate and adapt to the ongoing challenges.

This one-hour educational program will provide healthcare professionals a clear understanding of the most common bvFTD behaviors, their impact on families, and person-centered interventions to manage behaviors and improve quality of life for persons diagnosed and caregivers.

Learners will be able to:

• Describe at least four symptoms that are common in persons with bvFTD.
• Recognize the psychosocial impact on families of persons with bvFTD and describe recommendations for support.
• List three effective person-centered approaches to respond to challenging behaviors.

Presenters

Lauren Massimo, PhD, CRNP, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania in the School of Nursing and the School of Medicine, Frontotemporal Degeneration Center. Dr. Massimo holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from The Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree as an Adult and Gerontology Nurse Practitioner from the University of Pennsylvania; she is also a graduate of the PhD program at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Massimo’s research program focuses on identifying the cognitive and neural basis for symptoms of neurodegenerative disease.

Cynthia Clyburn, MSW, LCSW, is a licensed social worker at Penn Neurology. Cynthia provides counseling, education, resource coordination, and psychotherapy to patients and families affected by a diagnosis of dementia. She facilitates support groups for patients with early memory loss and for caregivers of individuals with neurodegenerative conditions. She received her master’s degree in clinical social work from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice and completed her clinical training at the Penn Memory Center and the Penn Frontotemporal Degeneration Center.

The course director(s), planner(s), faculty and reviewer(s) of this activity have no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

This webinar will be recorded and archived on AFTD’s YouTube page. However, continuing education credits are available only to those who attend the live program.

Content for this AFTD Educational Webinar is targeted to nurses, social workers, and other health professionals. Persons diagnosed with FTD and their family members are welcome to join.