October 18-20, 2017 at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Danvers, MA

Join us for the largest elder care event serving Councils on Aging and Senior Centers in New England

Register now!

• Conference Pricing
• Conference Booklet
• Conference Menu 2017
• Plenary Brochure
• Evening Events
• 2017 SIGNATURE CEC Form for MCOA Recertification

Hotel Registration Link

2017 SPONSOR EXHIBITOR and Non Profit Packet

• Sign up to be a Sponsor/Exhibitor

2017 Call for Presentations

• Submit Your Workshop Proposal

New Bedford Council on Aging

Cost:  $20 per team

MCOA is continuing to work with local Councils on Aging to develop the skills, tools and strategies to broaden community participation and inclusion at Senior Centers. This multi-faceted approach will include trainings, development of resource materials and videos to support local efforts to reach out to underserved populations. The initial, day – long training “Communicating Across Cultural Boundaries” for local COA teams, is being developed through a partnership between the Multicultural Coalition on Aging, UMass Boston, the VNA Care Network Foundation & Affiliates and MCOA. The project is funded by EOEA. The initial training is composed of three elements:

1.“Communicating Across Boundaries” training
2.Review of local demographic data to identify underserved populations
3.Development of action plan to reach out to the underserved population in your community

We are looking for a “team” approach on the local level and have up to four slots available for each community signing up for the training. It is recommended that the team be composed of the Director, a Board Member and one or two interested volunteers/participants.

For questions, please contact Kathy Bowler, Director of Technical Assistance, Training and Special Events at (413) 527-6425 or kathy@mcoaonline.com.

Register your team now

Rockland Senior Center

Cost: $20

PS 101: An Overview of the Massachusetts Elder Protective Services Program

Although PS programs received nearly 24,000 elder abuse reports in Massachusetts in Fiscal Year 2014, experts suggest that elder abuse continues to be significantly underreported. As such, it is critical that professionals and non-professionals be educated on the signs and symptoms of abuse and how to proceed should concerns exist, as cases can easily escalate to the point of irreparable physical, emotional and financial damage. This presentation will provide an overview of the Massachusetts Elder Protective Services Program, including the principle of self-determination, definitions and potential signs and symptoms of abuse, contributing factors, and the reporting and investigation processes.

Elder Sexual Abuse: Does It Really Occur and if so, What Should I Do?
While the total number of reports to the Elder Protective Services Program now exceeds 20,000 per year, the number of elder sexual abuse reports represents less than 1% of that total. Do these numbers accurately reflect what is occurring or are situations being overlooked? This workshop will provide a clear definition of elder sexual abuse, including signs and symptoms, and will help to clarify potential reasons why these situations rarely get reported to the proper authorities.

Abuse in Later Life: When Is Elder Abuse Domestic Violence
Domestic abuse is a pattern of coercive tactics abusers use to gain and maintain power and control over their victims. It is a subset of elder abuse and must be recognized as domestic violence in order to appropriately intervene to keep victims safe. This presentation will present an overview of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, the role of Protective Services, and then discuss the dynamics of abuse, barriers to elders staying safe, and effective interventions and collaborations.

Financial Exploitation
The incidence of financial exploitation of elders and vulnerable adults is growing nationally. Fraudulent telemarketing schemes and unscrupulous scam artists increasingly target elders, resulting in significant financial losses. In addition, loved and trusted family members too often make illegal and improper use of resources, resulting in emotional and financial damage that is devastating. Elders and vulnerable adults are left unable to pay for their basic daily needs, including housing, food, critical utilities and medications, and are traumatized by this victimization.
To aid in early identification and prevention of elder financial exploitation and fraud and assist elders to remain safely in the community, Massachusetts has developed two community collaborations: the Massachusetts Bank Reporting Project and the Money Management Program. This workshop will provide an overview of these two nationally recognized programs, as well as signs and symptoms of financial exploitation and fraud, and simple strategies for protecting one’s assets. In addition, case examples will be presented that highlight the importance of community collaborations and a multidisciplinary team approach in battling the devastating and often irreversible impact of financial exploitation and fraud.

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Bedford Senior Center

Cost $20

There have been a variety of situations involving work place violence in public buildings such as schools and public housing that have made the news. Recently, there has been an increase in anonymous bomb threats targeting municipal buildings and housing. Often times people working at senior centers encounter folks they don’t know and lack skills to handle threats in the work place.

This workshop, with a senior center focus, examines the prevalence, types and causes of violent behavior, and introduces skills to assess the potential for violence. Issues such as recognition of violent cues, protective stances, office and street safety, assessing for weapons, and managing home visits are discussed. Participants learn verbal and physical skills necessary for de-escalating conflict.

The training is presented by Ralph Detri, LICSW, LCDP, MPH; Private Practice; Professional Trainer, Consultant; Director, Personal Security Service.

Please join MCOA for an all-day Work Place Safety Training on Tuesday, November 28th at the Bedford Senior Center, 12 Mudge Way, Bedford

The Topics Include:
Morning-
•Psychology and Prediction of Violence in Clients
•Clinical Profiles and Prediction of Violence
•Forensic Mental Health Themes to assist Participants in Obtaining a Knowledge Base
Afternoon-
•Art of Law Enforcement and Situational Awareness of Dangers
•Violence Prevention Strategies
•Skills necessary to de-escalate conflict

Register now

Wednesday, December 6, 2017, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Federal Reserve Bank, 600 Atlantic Avenue, Boston
Registration opens at 8:15 a.m.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
This conference will explore the state of guardianship and decisional support in 2017, including an examination of decisional capacity, proposed
guardianship reform, restoration of rights and alternatives to guardianship, and a heightened awareness of autonomy for those subject to guardianship.
The conference is directed at a broad audience of professional and lay guardians, social workers, case managers, nurses, geriatric care
managers, attorneys, first responders, and others working in the field.

See Conference Flyer for more information