Satellite Symposium on Geriatric Palliative Care & Persons Living with Dementia: Interdisciplinary Education Program was held on July 3 within 6IMCA framework. The conference was conducted by Nancy Barsamian DNP, MPH. Being responsible for the clinical part of the projects of the Hanganak NGO, she invited the medical staff of the organization to participate in the event, but due to the long-lasting blockade of Artsakh, only medical workers Elza Nersisyan, Naire Voskanyan and Gayane Nersisyan, who had stayed in Armenia, were able to participate.
The title gives you information how many relevant and targeted topics related to the Elderly Project have been discussed at the conference. After Nancy Barsamian’s welcoming speech, Associate Professor Inaugural Chair American University of Armenia (AUA), Nour Alayan delivered a speech. Notably, the conference was held in Alex and Marie Manoogian Hall, AUA.
Kristina Galstyan, chief specialist of the Public Health Department of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia, presented the National Dementia plan of the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Narine Movsisyan submitted an overview of palliative care and development in Armenia.
Nancy Barsamian spoke about geriatric syndromes in her speech. This topic was regularly discussed in online courses conducted with the medical staff of Hanganak. In this regard, it is worth noting that these courses, as well as the Caregivers school training for Artsakh dwelling older adults, implemented in 2022 by the Armenian Association of Healthcare and Assistance to Older People, proved to be very effective in ensuring the quality of medical services provided by the Elderly Project.
The conference also discussed pain management, nonpharmacological PC interventions, and communication to patients and their families. Most notably, psychiatrist Sona Mkhitaryan and geriatric nurse Silva Davtyan, who are familiar with the staff of Hanganak, presented in detail the symptoms of dementia and nursing care.
Coming back to the participation of the Nursing Program Department of the American University of Armenia (AUA) in the conference, the speeches of Maria Aleksandrova and Vera Mkhitaryan, RN, BSN, students of AUA, should be highlighted. They delivered informative presentations on the nursing assessment, nursing process, cultural and spiritual influences on disease process and end of life.
Our medical staff were very impressed by the high professional level of the conference. In particular, Elza Nersisyan mentioned: We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Nancy and her colleagues for their exceptional contribution to the Conference on Geriatric Palliative Care and Persons Living with Dementia. Their experience and knowledge has profoundly influenced our understanding of the provision of integrated care for older people. We are sincerely grateful to the speakers for sharing their invaluable knowledge and experience with us. We were also pleased to see Dr. Nancy in person at the conference.
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