Conference 2019 – ‘Play, Eat, Love’ – What keeps us alive.
This was held 23-24 May 2019
RACV Goldfields Resort (Creswick)
A Conference for health professionals wishing to expand their knowledge of Palliative Care.
The conference speakers were handpicked to educate but to also start minds wondering about all the good things in life that keep us alive while working with people who are dying.
Speaker presentation PDF:
The Power Of Love – Liese Groot Alberts
Supporting People to Live Well in the Face of Death – Mei Krishnasamy
Immunotherapy and New Therapies in Cancer – Dr Vishal Boolell
Genetics and Palliative Care – Heather Chalinor
Featuring
Liese Groot-Alberts
Liese Groot-Alberts was born in Fryslân, part of the Netherlands, is living in New Zealand and works internationally as a public and keynote speaker, palliative care educator, presenter of loss, grief and bereavement trainings and clinical supervisor for Healthcare Professionals.
In 1972 her eldest daughter, aged nearly 3, died suddenly 2 days after the birth of her son.
Hope and despair, joy and sorrow!
Out of this life changing experience came her passion for working with healthcare professionals and volunteers.
Over a period of many years she worked with and for Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross as a workshop leader and staff member presenting workshops in New Zealand, Australia, USA and Europe. After Dr. Ross’ retirement she has continued to develop her own workshops and has specialised in conducting trainings in trauma, loss, grief and bereavement, Palliative Care, as well as Self-care for the Carer, resilience, spirituality, and working with difference, finding strength and hope in connectedness. She has conducted lectures and workshops in the USA, Australia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Singapore, Samoa, Zimbabwe and New Zealand.
In her presentations and workshops she uses images, poetry, humour and music as well as sound theoretical underpinning of the material presented.
Professor Joseph E Ibrahim
MB BS, GradCertHighEd, PhD, FAFPHM, FRACP
Joseph is Head, Health Law and Ageing Research Unit, Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine and contributes to the research and teaching activities of the Centre of Research Excellence in Patient Safety, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine. Joseph is also an Adjunct Professor, Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, La Trobe University. Joseph has extensive clinical experience and continues an active role as a practising Consultant Physician in Geriatric Medicine.
Joseph has a Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (1994), obtained a Doctorate of Philosophy in Epidemiology and Health Services Research (1999 Monash investigating the relationship between quality of care and performance indicators), Fellowship of the Australian Faculty of Public Health Medicine (2000) and a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (2001 Monash).
Professor Ibrahim is the lead author of the influential report “Recommendations for prevention of injury-related deaths in residential aged care services.” This was a culmination of five years research into residential aged care and resulted in 104 recommendations to improve care. This work has informed and been cited in the Australian Law Reform Commission into Elder Abuse, Carnell and Paterson Report and, the Commonwealth Senate Inquiry for protecting residents from abuse and poor practices, and ensuring proper clinical and medical care standards are maintained and practiced. This report followed the first comprehensive national study of injury-related deaths among nursing home residents in the world.
The research led by Professor Ibrahim was the lead article, featured in the editorial and one of the Top 10 influential research studies in 2017 published in the Medical Journal of Australia. The research drew wide spread media attention reaching over 5.6 million people through: National public television ‘The 7.30 Report on the ABC’ and ‘The Project’ on Channel 10; national online and print media (The Conversation, The Age and The Herald Sun); and various national and regional radio programs.
Joseph is the inaugural and current editor of the Residential Aged Care Communiqué and the producer, narrator of the international award winning animated short film ‘Dignity of Risk‘ to promote choice and improving quality of life for residents.
Bronwyn Roberts
For over a decade Bron Roberts has been sharing simple, effective and clinically proven strategies for improving health and well-being, increasing productivity, creating meaningful relationships and finding the fun with groups around Australia and in the USA.
In workshops that combine the latest research in positive psychology, emotional intelligence and human emotion / behaviour with an atmosphere of fun and laughter that engages, educates and entertains Bron takes her audiences on an action packed ride designed to assist individuals and organisations re-connect with the important things in life.
Beginning her happiness journey over 30 years ago as a stress management consultant and meditation teacher in the post trauma rehabilitation setting Bron was introduced to the power of laughter by her clients. While her early focus was on the benefits of laughter as they relate to positive health, well-being and healing she quickly discovered that our ability to ‘find the fun’ also has a positive and proven effect on productivity, creativity, performance, leadership and innovation.
Dr. Bobby Cheema
Dr. Bobby Cheema (PhD) is a tenured senior lecturer of sport and exercise science at Western Sydney University, a research associate at the National Institute of Complementary Medicine, and a practicing accredited exercise physiologist. He has over 25 years of experience in exercise physiology and prescription and has published extensively on the importance of exercise and lifestyle modification for healthy aging and the management and treatment of leading chronic diseases, including breast and prostate cancers, chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and polycystic ovary syndrome. His research has informed clinical practice guidelines, exercise position statements and clinical practice. He is ranked highly amongst experts on resistance training in Australia and internationally and holds peer-review responsibilities with leading scientific journals and the NHMRC. Dr. Cheema lives on the south coast of NSW with his wife and two sons and enjoys surfing, snowboarding, training, travelling and reading.
Professor Mei Krishnasamy
Quals: BA; RGN; DipN; MSC; PhD
Professor Mei Krishnasamy is inaugural Chair in Cancer Nursing in the Department of Nursing at the University of Melbourne, and is Research and Education Lead for Nursing across the seven clinical partners of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre. She is past President of the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia and the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia. In 2018, was awarded a Life Fellowship by the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia for her contribution to cancer nursing. She leads the Cancer Nursing Research Group at the University of Melbourne and her research focuses on the care experiences and health outcomes of people with rare and less common cancers, and the contribution of specialist cancer nurses to individual, organisation and system level outcomes. She has authored or co-authored competitive grants totalling $14m AUS and in 2018, was awarded $1M by the Victorian Government to establish the first ever Australian Cancer Nursing Research Innovation Hub.
Kylie Joyce
Kylie Joyce married her sweetheart Bernard 23 years ago. They enjoyed an amazing life together and three resilient children. 3 years ago Kylie held Bernard in her arms as he died from a long battle with cancer. This is her story
Conference Schedule
