Older Adults with HIV/AIDS: Experiences of Stigma-The Use of Personal Strengths

This dissertation explores the stigma experiences of older adults who have HIV/AIDS, the personal strengths and other responses they have to these experiences, and whether they experienced personal growth as a result of their responses to stigma. A qualitative, phenomenological approach has been used in this dissertation. Older adults experienced stigma from family and friends and in the workplace. Some older adults responded to stigma by being resilient and empowering themselves with the support of family and friends. Older adults also had other responses to stigma such as non- disclosure of HIV/AIDS status and isolation. Some older adults experienced personal growth, for instance where they wished to give back some of their time and skills to the community. The results support the use of older adults and their families as key resources in the planning and implementation of stigma prevention programs

Psychedelic Therapy for Serious Illness and End of Life Care

Webinar: September 28, 2023, 4-6 pm. Articles about psychedelic treatments for serious illness and end of life care seem to be everywhere. Rarely a week goes by without a newly published study appearing in a peer-reviewed medical journal, usually followed by reports of the study in prominent news outlets. In this webinar, we will present recent research on this topic, provide an update on the current legislation efforts to legalize these treatments in Washington State, and reflect on proposed treatment guidelines how legalization may impact treatment plans. Panelists include: Dr. David Gruenwald, Medical Director of the Palliative Care and Hospice Service at VA Puget Sound Health Care System Lisa Yeager, MSW, LICSW, CPTR Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker Jesse Salomon, J.D. Democratic State Senator representing the 32nd Legislative District in Washington Moderated by Devyani Chandran, Director, Palliative Care Institute, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washingto

An Ecological Understanding of Caregiver Experiences in Palliative Care

Palliative care is specialized health care to improve quality of life for patients with serious illness and their families through prevention and relief of suffering. A Palliative Care Institute was held in western Washington to capture community voices about diverse needs, strengths, and opportunities for improvement of palliative care. Researchers employed qualitative methods to obtain thematic data, provide real-time analysis, and engage in a multivoting technique to reflect stakeholder interest in individual themes and prioritize larger group interests. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems framework was used to explore caregiver experiences. Within the microsystem, caregivers reported difficulties in interactions with medical providers as a key challenge. Within the mesosysytem, interactions between patients and medical providers and the impact on caregivers were explored. Within the exosystem, caregivers reported lack of control over the schedules of personal care staff. Macrosystem influences included impact of local culture on the development of palliative care services. Chronosystem influences include de-medicalization of childbirth and its impact on perceptions of palliative care. Implications include the need for social workers to be proactive in fostering trust and effective communication between care providers and caregivers, and the demand for health care provider training in communication with patients and families

Black MSM and the National Strategy for HIV/AIDS: A Strengths Based Policy Analysis

The National Strategy on HIV/AIDS (NHAS) is the latest in a long line of policy measures that attempt to address the needs of domestic populations who are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. This article utilizes a strengths framework to guide policy formulation, implementation, and analysis. It explores whether the NHAS is strengths based and how effectively it addresses the unique vulnerability of Black Men Who Have Sex with Men (BMSM) to HIV/AIDS. Recommendations for policy practitioners include embracing the diversity and strengths of BMSM and enhancing the involvement of social workers in the implementation and evaluation of NHAS programs

Medical Aid in Dying: Challenges and Solutions

Medical aid in dying (MAID) is currently legal in ten US states and the District of Columbia. The most frequent reasons for requesting MAID are typically loss of autonomy, decreasing ability to participate in pleasurable activities, impaired quality of life, and loss of dignity. As of 2021, nearly 20% of hospital beds in community settings nationally are provided by a religiously affiliated healthcare organization. In Washington State, over 45% of Washington state\u27s hospital beds are in facilities that are under religious directives, In most of faith based systems, developing a compassionate and appropriate response to patients who request MAID has been challenging, raising both clinical and public health challenges and concerns regarding how health care providers, institutions, and medical systems will handle requests for AID. This webinar will present the current landscape of MAID in Washington state and use case studies from three different faith based systems to explore these challenges and suggest some possible strategies and solutions. Panelists include: Hilary Walker, Advance Care Planning Coordinator, PeaceHealth Judy Kinney, Executive Director, End of Life Washington, Seattle, Washington Gregg Vandekieft, Executive Medical Director, Palliative Practice Group and TelePC, Providence Institute for Human Caring, Olympia, Washington Barbara Morris, Geriatrician at STRIDE Community Health Center, Denver, Colorado and will be moderated by Devyani Chandran, Director, Palliative Care Institute, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington Accreditation Statement: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements of the Washington State Medical Association through the joint providership of PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center and Western Washington University Palliative Care Institute. PeaceHealth St. Joseph is accredited by the WSMA to provide continuing medical education for physicians. PeaceHealth St. Joseph designates this live activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. This activity meets the criteria for up to 2 hour of Category I CME credits to satisfy the relicensure requirements of the Washington State Medical Quality Assurance Commission

Webinar: Breaking Bad News to Patients

Breaking bad news is one of a provider’s most difficult duties, yet medical education typically offers little formal preparation for this daunting task. In this free Zoom webinar, a panel of practitioners will provide advice and share case studies to explore best practices for this challenging responsibility, including techniques to facilitate breaking bad news, offer realistic hope based on the patient\u27s goals and support patients and their families after the diagnosis has been shared. Panelists include: C. Bree Johnston, MD, Director, Palliative Care, Skagit Regional Health. Eddie Harrod, MDiv, Chaplain, Whatcom Hospice, PeaceHealth Koreen Fish, MSW, Coordinator for the Outpatient Palliative Care Team for PeaceHealth. Claudia Fischer, RN, MSN, Program Coordinator, Inpatient Palliative Care Team, PeaceHealth. Moderator: Devyani Chandran, PHD, Director, Palliative Care Institute and Associate Professor of Human Services at Western Washington University. Accreditation Statement: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements of the Washington State Medical Association through the joint providership of PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center and Western Washington University. PeaceHealth St. Joseph is accredited by the WSMA to provide continuing medical education for physicians. PeaceHealth St. Joseph designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. This activity meets the criteria for up to 1.0 hour of Category I CME credit to satisfy the relicensure requirements of the Washington State Medical Quality Assurance Commission