Conference at NCM will discuss mental health and aging health care issues

Barren River Area Development District and health professionals will host the 13th annual Mental Health and Aging Educational Conference from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.Oct. 27 at the National Corvette Museum.

Deadline to register for the event is Saturday, with a $25 registration fee due at the time of registration. The conference is open to the public, but it's also targeted toward professionals such as nurses, long-term care administrators, Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES), social workers, licensed professional counselors, psychologists, marriage and family therapists can earn CEU credits by participating in the conference. Lunch will be provided.

BRADD aging planner Alecia Johnson said the purpose of the event is to discuss current social, educational and health care issues relating to mental health and aging for professional and non-professional caregivers. Around 120 people attended last year's conference, which is average for the event, she said.

"The intention of the conference is to be an educational opportunity to highlight some of those issues," Johnson said. "A lot of the time the elderly population is overlooked when it comes to high rates of suicide and depression, which is not a normal part of aging. The mental health issues are a hot topic lately and we want to be able to continue to educate and raise awareness."

During the event there will be five topics. Tracy Butterfield, Life Skills adult foster care and respite manager with intellectual disabilities, will lead the discussion with the Kentucky Medicaid supports for Community Living Waiver and how participants qualify for services. SKY Rehab neuropsychologist Gregory Perri will discuss the separation between normal aging and mild cognitive impairment.

Hosparus of Barren River's Community Director Melanie Plumb and Wanda Dobbins, a grief counselor and clinical coordinator for social work and bereavement services there, will touch on the end of life bio-psychosocial needs and opportunities. Other speakers include Lee Brown, Western Kentucky University director of paramedic program; Dondra J. Meredith, Cabinet for Health and Human Services assistant counsel and lead attorney for Adult Protective Services and social service clinician Stacey Arnett.

We want to "give people some avenues that they can go to and let them know (mental health issues) isn't something they have to handle without professional help," Johnson said.

- For more information, visit bradd.org or call Alecia Johnson at 270-782-9223.

- Follow faith/general assignments reporter Simone C. Payne on Twitter @_SimonePayne or visit bgdailynews.com.