Links Teleconference Series:
8 Opportunities to Learn More about MS from the Comfort of Your Home
We are pleased to present a series of teleconferences on a variety of topics designed to link you with important information about living with MS. The series is made up of eight teleconferences held Thursday nights (7-8 pm) from January 21 through March 11, 2010.
Each teleconference lasts just one hour and is accessible via a toll-free number. You can ask questions or just listen to the information. Best of all, you can do so from the privacy of your own home. Participate in several calls or just the one that interests you.
What is a Teleconference?
A teleconference is an opportunity to learn new information from the comfort of home by calling into a designated number to hear an interactive presentation.
**Please note you must register for each call you would like to listen in on.
January 21st, 2010 at 7:00 pm: Nutrition, Exercise and Sleep
In this session, Mary Joe Rajek, OT will share how healthy nutrition, exercise, and sleep habits are beneficial to people with MS. You will learn about the types of exercise best suited to you, as well as the types you should avoid, and how a well-balanced, carefully planned diet can help persons with MS to maintain good health. In addition, you will also learn about the complexities of MS symptoms and sleep problems and how you can overcome them.
Appropriate For: All persons wanting to receive more information on the basics of nutrition, weight loss, emotions and eating, getting support, and developing good habits.
Guest Speaker: Mary Jo Rajek is an occupational therapist with the Health South Rehabilitation. She serves as the Occupational Therapist for the James Q. Miller MS Clinic. She has 23 years of experience and has also worked in hospitals and retirement facilities. She has volunteered with the Blue Ridge Chapter since 1993. She now serves on the Clinical Advisory Committee and as a facilitator of the Fatigue: Take Control Program and the Gateway to Wellness. She has also served as a member of the Board of Trustees and as chairman of the Chapter Programs Committee.
The registration deadline for this call is January 11, 2010.
Register for this call by calling the chapter at 757-490-9627 or clicking here.
January 28th, 2010 at 7:00 pm: Financial Planning
The uncertainty caused by MS makes the need to plan for the future even more important. This financial planning call will provide information and strategies to help you plan wisely for the future and address financial challenges that often accompany life with MS.
Appropriate For: Persons living with MS and their families and caretakers who want to learn more about special needs planning and estate planning.
Guest Speakers:
Lynn M. Hoover, J.D.: Mrs. Hoover is a graduate of the University of Toledo College of Law and practicing attorney with Rohrbachers Cron Manahan Trimble & Zimmerman Co., L.P.A. in Toledo, Ohio. Her areas of concentration are estate planning, probate law, Real Estate; Business Transactions and Law.
David W. Achen, CLU, ChFC: Mr. Achen is Registered Representative of New England Securities and a MetDESK® Specialist. A MetDESK® specialists provide educational workshops to address critical areas of concern for people with special needs such as: Government benefit eligibility for SSI and Medicaid.
Michael R. Landolt, CFP®, ChFC: Mr. Landolt is a Registered Representative of ING Financial Advisers. He is a Certified Financial Planner that specializes in retirement planning. He is the Chair of the Financial Education Partners (FEP) for the Northwest Ohio chapter of the Society of Financial Services Professionals.
The registration deadline for this call is January 18, 2010.
Register for this call by calling the chapter at 757-490-9627 or clicking here.
February 4th, 2010 at 7:00 pm: Alternative Therapies
Alternative therapies can aid the management of MS symptoms while promoting general health and wellness. Alternative therapies are defined as any medical treatment or intervention that has not been scientifically documented or identified for a specific condition. Utilizing alternative therapies in conjunction with MS treatments may have many benefits for people with MS. Alternative therapies range from a variety of disciplines such as diet and exercise to mental conditioning and lifestyle changes. Some examples of alternative therapies are acupuncture, yoga, aromatherapy, relaxation, herbal remedies, and massage.
Appropriate For: People with MS and their families who are interested in trying other avenues of treatment in conjunction with their MS treatment.
Guest Speaker: Pat Kennedy, RN, CNP, MSCN, Nurse Educator and Programs Advisor for Can Do Multiple Sclerosis in Colorado.
The registration deadline for this call is January 25, 2010.
Register for this call by calling the chapter at 757-490-9627 or clicking here.
February 11th, 2010 at 7:00 pm: Managing Cognitive Issues
Cognitive symptoms such as poor memory, decelerated processing of information, and distractibility can be particularly challenging to manage. Dr. Sullivan will address these issues and other common cognitive symptoms. She will provide practical strategies on how to best manage such symptoms in your everyday life.
Appropriate For: People with MS and their families who would like to learn more about cognitive problems associated with MS and strategies to deal with them.
Guest Speaker: Cynthia Sullivan, Ph.D. is a neuropsychologist practicing in Fairfax, VA. Dr. Sullivan is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Georgetown University Medical Center, and Director of Training at the Neuropsychology Associates of Fairfax. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland and completed her fellowship in neuropsychology at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Washington, D.C. For the next 5 years, she was the co-director of the neuropsychology program at the VAMC. Throughout her career, she has been actively involved in neuropsychology research, with a primary focus on multiple sclerosis.
The registration deadline for this call is February 1, 2010.
Register for this call by calling the chapter at 757-490-9627 or clicking here.
February 18th, 2010 at 7:00 pm: Accessible Travel
Whether you travel by land, air, or sea, learn how to arrange services for your individual needs, manage differing altitudes, security, and preparation for that long-awaited vacation.
Appropriate For: People with MS and their families who would like to learn the how to’s of planning and traveling while living with a disability
Guest Speaker: Susan A. Spahr, CTC is a graduate of Central Pennsylvania Business College, Institute of Certified Travel Agents and Lebanon Valley College. A high school-to-work program offered Susan the opportunity to work in a local travel agency. This first job experience grew into a twenty-five year career in the travel industry. For ten years Susan owned her own agency, Journeys, Inc. Her travel services company specialized in the areas of group, incentive and leisure travel. Susan now enjoys working with non-profit and for-profits organizations in the areas of training and development.
The registration deadline for this call is February 8, 2010.
Register for this call by calling the chapter at 757-490-9627 or clicking here.
February 25th, 2010 at 7:00 pm: Managing Difficult Symptoms: Bowel and Bladder
This call will address the basics of bowel and bladder issues in MS. It will also address how to recognize the onset of bowel and bladder symptoms, specific management strategies, and how to talk with your doctor about difficult symptoms.
Appropriate For: People with MS who have questions about the bowel and bladder issues that can develop over the course of the disease.
Guest Speaker: Cheryl LeCroy M.S.N., R.N. is clinical coordinator with the Virginia Women’s Continence Center at Virginia Women’s Center in Richmond. Since 1991 she has worked in urology and, since 1994, has specialized in continence care and urodynamics. Cheryl holds a Masters of Science in Nursing from Old Dominion University. She is the past national chairperson for the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates’ (SUNA) annual symposium and annual conference, and has served on the project advisory board for the National Association for Continence. She is the current SUNA Northeast Regional Director and serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association for Continence.
The registration deadline for this call is February 15, 2010.
Register for this call by calling the chapter at 757-490-9627 or clicking here.
March 4th, 2010 at 7:00 pm: Coping with having MS: Staying Healthy Emotionally
Whether you are newly diagnosed or have been living with MS for years, maintaining emotional health can be challenging. For all of us, stress tends to increase when important aspects of our lives feel out of our control. For both people with MS and their loved ones, it is apparent that MS is an unpredictable disease and can make life more taxing. This talk will focus on some of the common emotionally charged issues that people affected by MS face, what it means to be emotionally healthy, some ways to cope with these stresses and additional life demands, and ways to enhance emotional health.
Appropriate For: People living with MS, their families, and caregivers who want to learn about handling the emotional aspects of living with MS.
Guest Speaker: Carol J. Schramke, PhD is Director of the Division of Behavioral Neurology in the Department of Neurology at Allegheny General Hospital, is an Associate Professor of Neurology at Drexel University College of Medicine, and is on staff at the Allegheny MS Center located at Allegheny General Hospital. She is also a member of the Clinical Advisory Committee for the local chapter of the NMSS. She works as a clinical psychologist and specializes in the treatment of patients with neurological disorders. She sees patients, teaches residents and interns, and is actively involved in research. Her research includes publications on MS and depression, on what risk factors predict progression in MS, and on psychological issues in other neurological disorders. She received her doctorate from the University of Florida, completed internship training at the Portland VA Medical Center, and received her bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan.
The registration deadline for this call is February 22, 2010.
Register for this call by calling the chapter at 757-490-9627 or clicking here.
March 11th, 2010 at 7:00 pm: Current Research
Research is an important avenue to a world free of MS and there has never been a more promising and exciting time in MS research. Join us on this call during MS Awareness Week to learn about the latest research initiatives in MS including progress toward neuroprotection and tissue repair, imaging technologies, biomarkers, and T cell research.
Appropriate For: Anyone interested in learning more about current MS research.
Guest Speaker: Aaron Johnson PhD, Director of Research at the Waddell Center for Multiple Sclerosis at the University Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio
The registration deadline for this call is March 1, 2010.
Register for this call by calling the chapter at 757-490-9627 or clicking here.
To request an audio recording, please call the Chapter at 757-490-9627.