Our Conference Schedule in Nashville

Saturday, October 4

Sunday, October 5

Breakout Option 1
Risk Management for Fiduciaries

Lawrence D. Hilton
Alpine, UT

This session will address risk avoidance, reduction and transfer strategies recommended for fiduciaries. Through hypotheticals, participants will consider ‘best practices’ approaches to the real life challenges they routinely face.

Breakout Option 2
Strategic Leadership of a Growth-Oriented Non-Profit Agency: The Volunteer Guardianship Experience

Anthony J. Serra, Esq.
Princeton, NJ

Volunteer Guardianship has enjoyed 10successful years recruiting, training, &s supervising court-appointed volunteers. The only such agency in our state, it is one of a few in the nation. Leadership and growth strategies will be shared.

Breakout Option 3
Dementia and Successful Communication: Its up to You

Kim Grier, RG
Atlanta, GA

Communicating with a person with dementia can be a challenge of understanding and being understood. When interacting with people with dementia, it is up to you to make the exchange successful. Learn skills that you can use immediately to ensure that you are doing all you can to communicate effectively with people with dementia.

Breakout Option 1
Sometimes You Just Can’t Lip-Sync: An Ethical and Practical Approach to Guardianship Intervention through the Exploration of a Select Number of Case Studies

The on-going collaborative relationship between guardians, ad litems and court systems in finding resolutions to complex cases involving issues such as: sexuality, facility rules and rule breakers, end-of-life, amputations, sexually transmitted diseases, medical neglect, self-neglect and undue influence.

Breakout Option 2
Case and Estate Management Practices: Evaluate Today and Plan for Tomorrow

Presented by trained professionals who will assist you in evaluating your current practices and present the latest functionality that you may incorporate into your office as you move into the future.

Breakout Option 3
Managing a Large Guardianship Program

Running an efficient, multidiscipline guardianship office: how is this best accomplished? Discussion will explore different models, encompassing the extra challenge when the number of cases is large (>100), and when the number of offices might be more than one.

Breakout Option 1
Guardianship of Foreign Citizens and Guardianship Across International Borders

International guardianship of person or estate: where to start, what to consider, laws and culture issues, and who/what are my resources.

Breakout Option 2
Maintaining Eligibility for Medicaid & SSI and Avoiding Disqualifying Transfers

People with disabilities need Medicaid and SSI but eligibility can be lost due to mistakes. Learn how to avoid mistakes and correct those that have been made.

Breakout Option 3
Certification of Guardians in Texas: One Year Later

An overview of the certification process in Texas, including legislative history and policies, standards and rules adopted: What we’ve done right, what could use improvement, and what we hope to accomplish over the next few years.

Monday, October 6

Breakout Option 1
Be Careful What You Ask For: A Look at the Authority of the Conservator for Individuals with Mental Retardation in Tennessee

An introspective look at conservator authority for people with developmental disabilities in Tennessee (applicable in other states) based on 20 years of experience as corporate conservator; limited vs. full conservatorship and the changed role of the conservator; placement, medical treatment, end-of-life, contractual, safety and restrictive issues; rights vs. protection.

Breakout Option 2
Raising the Bar: Transforming Long-Term Care into Life Long Living Environments

More than 20 million individuals in the U.S. require life-long support due to cognitive disabilities present at birth or resulting from injury, illness or aging. This presentation is based on the belief that people are capable of continued personal growth, regardless of their cognitive or mental abilities, within a de-institutional, person-centered living environment.

Breakout Option 3
Show me the Numbers: The Quest for Guardianship Data

The number of adults under guardian-ship in the U.S. is unknown. Learn why it is so important to uncover this elusive number, why it is so difficult, what can be done, and how it affects you.

Ira Salzman, Esq.
New York, NY

Our speaker was the lead attorney in litigation to protect the rights of wards that attracted national attention and has been called as an expert witness on these issues before the U.S. Senate Committee on Aging. He has had an impact on national legislation and the cases he will review have changed judicial practice and state regulations. His vision and experience provide a broad overview on rights issues.

Ted and Amelia Ong
Vista, CA

When Ted and Amelia were called to supervise 150 missionaries in Hong Kong they had no idea the lessons they would learn. Share the secrets they learned to be happier and more productive.

Breakout Option 1
Surrogate Decision Making with the Aging Client

Feel caught in the middle of someone else’s fight? Understand the often conflicting roles of surrogate decision makers. Learn to recognize the inherent tension in care situations with surrogates. Gain skills to mitigate negative effects for clients.

Breakout Option 2
Considering and Implementing the Gold Standards of Public Guardianship Practice

The first national study of public guardianship in over 25 years is complete. Findings from the study resulted in gold standards for practice. This session seeks to promote discussion about them and their implementation.

Breakout Option 3
Access: Bridging Partnership through End-of-Life Care

This presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of end-of-life care highlighting benefits and challenges faced with managing a patient’s healthcare.

Breakout Option 1
The Determination of Capacity: Issues and Concepts

In this presentation, the multidimensional nature of capacity will be articulated, including the essential components of various skills, e.g., independent living, financial and medical decision making. The participant will also become familiar with how capacity is assessed and potentially remediated.

Breakout Option 2
Not Just Minding the Store, but Updating the Store to Protect the Ward’s Estate

Presently, many states offer great asset protection if businesses are organized as LLC’s or LP’s vs. corporations. While an incapacitated person will likely not act to commit a tort or other personal liability, if they own particular assets outright or in less desirable entities, then the guardianship estate could be subjected to liabilities that could easily be avoided.

Breakout Option 3
Guardianship Practices Challenges and Issues

Tried everything but can’t find a solution? Can’t figure what to do now? Get help from your colleagues. This interactive session provides an opportunity for experienced guardians and newcomers to share problems and accomplishments. Bring your case problems and ideas.

Open Evening
6:00 pm Optional “Dine Around”

Use this evening on your own or join friends and colleagues in a local dining adventure. We’ll make reservations for groups at a variety of restaurants and you can sign up at the Conference for the dining experience of your preference.

6:30 pm CGC Master Guardian Dinner
(By Invitation)

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

These noted panelists from around the country discuss the latest guardianship and conservatorship issues.

Dr. Mary L. Milano
Chicago, IL

As the demands of guardianship as a profession continue to grow, the resources and support necessary to the role continue to diminish. As agencies, advocates, and professionals we are bounded by norms that stress individual rights– at least as long as individuals have power, and grant individual status to those who succeed in reaching power. What makes us become guardians and continue to serve in the roles we do? What is the vocation of the guardian for the long term? How does understanding it help us become that to which we aspire? And what difference does any of that make to our constituencies and clients?

Noon Conference Concludes
(Lunch is on your own)