This year’s virtual NASW-MA Nursing Home Conference theme is “The Advocate in the Nursing Home: Change Agent and Power Broker”. The conference will be focused on effective advocacy by social workers who work with older adults in nursing homes and the unique challenges they experience. There will be opportunities to learn about how social workers can engage as advocates working with personal caregivers, and about the differences between micro and macro level advocacy.

This year’s conference will feature nationally recognized speaker, Deirdre Downes, Ph.D., MSW, who is the Corporate Director of Social Work and Supportive Care Programs at Isabella Geriatric Center in New York City. Dr. Downes has extensive experience in the area of social work advocacy for clients in nursing homes and working with caregivers.

Participants will learn:

• How advocacy differs by a resident/client, family, social worker and others. 
• Effective advocacy interventions. 
• Differences between micro and macro interventions and how to be as effective as possible in sometimes difficult situations.

Instructions to register online:

• Log in if you are an NASW-MA member to get the member discounted rate
• Enter/Confirm your information on "Attendee Info" tab
• Choose your ticket on "Attendee Selections" tab (full conference or post-conference workshop only, post-conference workshop add-on)
• Select one of the afternoon workshops available (unless only doing the post-conference workshop)
• Click on "Save and Finalize Registration"
• Enter/Confirm your payment information
• Enter credit card information (POs not accepted)
• Click on "Proceed to Confirmation"
• Click on "Complete Order"

Full-day Agenda: 

8:00 - 8:15 am - Conference begins

8:15 - 8:30am - Opening remarks with Rebekah Gewirtz & Frank E. Baskin

8:30 - 9:15am  - Opening workshop “Public Policy & Implications for Older Adults in Nursing Homes and the Community” with speaker Frank E. Baskin

9:15 - 10:30am - Keynote address “Nursing Home Social Workers: Your Presence Matters” with speaker Deirdre Downes, PhD, MSW

10:30 - 10:45am - Morning Break

10:45 - 12:15pm - Panel discussion “Making it Right" - Benefits and Challenges of Advocacy with speakers Penny Shaw, PhD, and Arlene Germain, B.S., moderated by Keynote Speaker Deirdre Downes, PhD, MSW

12:15 - 12:30pm - 2021 Nursing Home Social Work Award recognition with speaker Joel Langsam

12:30 - 1:15pm - Lunch Break

1:15 - 2:30pm - Workshops

Option 1: “Advocacy for Elders in Facilities and Representation of the Resident ” with speaker Hyman Darling

Option 2: “Keep Pushing: How to Overcome Obstacles to Mental Healthcare” with speaker Lindsey Wilson, LICSW

  Option 3: “Social Workers and Systems Transformation: From Frustration to Positive Change” with speaker Cassie Cramer, LICSW, CPS

2:30 - 2:45pm - Afternoon Break

2:45 - 3:45pm - Closing workshop “Making Change Through Legislative Advocacy” with speaker Nomita Ganguly, J.D.

3:45 - 3:50pm - Conference ends

4:00 - 5:30pm - Post-conference workshop “Caring for America’s Aging Population” with speaker Macie P. Smith, Ed.D (this workshop has an additional fee)

Online registrations are closing Tuesday, June 8th. 

To learn more about the conference’s workshops and speakers, please visit: https://www.naswma.org/nursinghomeconf2021

Social Work CEUs: 

Nursing Home Conference 6.0 CEUs | Post-Conference Intensive 1.5 CEUs

This program is $60 for members / $75 for non-members

The optional Post-Conference Intensive is $15 for members / $30 for non-members