I’m excited to announce that the Society of Certified Senior Advisors (SCSA) has invited me to speak at its annual conference to be held in Portland, Oregon in late August 2019! The SCSA educates and certifies professionals who work with seniors with the goal of creating a strong and safe environment to protect the elderly. They provide practical real-world knowledge to a diverse group including doctors, attorneys, gerontologists, accountants and financial planners. What the SCSA teaches is vital to successfully meeting the challenges of caring for a fast-growing aging population and I am extremely proud to have been selected as a featured speaker to this group of professionals.
The title of my session is Courageous Conversations: Find Your Voice. During this presentation, I will share proven techniques for having productive conversations with elderly parents about the changes that come with aging. These include dialogues about sensitive subjects such as talking to parents or other elders about their ability to continue driving safely; manage their finances; or remain living at home independently. I explain the difference between planning and scripting; between learning and listening; and between offering options and opinions. I teach how to open a conversation, how to frame it neutrally, remain focused, re-direct negative reactions, and how to know when to pause the dialogue. Sounds
easy, right? Well, it’s a matter of technique, common sense, and careful approach that pays off with positive results.
This is the second time I have been invited to address the SCSA’s annual conference. Previously, I was a featured speaker at their San Diego conference on the subject of The ABCs of Family Member Theft.
Let me know if you are interested in learning more about what I share with my audiences!