Conference to focus on excellence in gerontology.

The fifth national gerontology conference, to be held next month in Wellington, has attracted an impressive line-up of speakers. Organised by NZNO's national gerontology section, the theme of the two-day conference is Excellence in Gerontology and it will be opened on August 25 by Wellington's mayor, former nurse and midwife, Kerry Prendergast. Health Minister Pete Hodgson will speak on the first day.

Contemporary issues in dementia care is the subject of keynote speaker Rosalie Hudson's address. An aged-care consultant, she has had a varied nursing and theological career, which is now focused on aged care and palliative care. She explores end-of-life issues for people in residential aged care and as an author, teacher, and associate professor with the University of Melbourne, seeks to raise the profile of gerontology nursing.

Dementia--an urgent challenge

She describes dementia as one of the most urgent challenges to 21st century health care, and in her address will present guidelines and examples that focus on the person at the centre of the "dementia dilemma". On the second day she will speak on ethics at the end of life. Co-ordination of care is a major emphasis of the Health of Older People's Strategy, and in her address, Auckland-based nurse practitioner (NP) Michal Boyd will discuss the conundrums of defining, implementing and researching care co-ordination for older adults and how this relates to older adult assessment and care. The charge nurse at Waikato Hospital's assessment, treatment and rehabilitation unit, John Young, will use the patient journey and the patients' eyes to look at the service and see where improvements can be made and where areas of excellence lie.

Other speakers on the first day are the Ministry of Health's chief nursing adviser Mark Jones, who will took at the focus on excellence in nursing care of older people; chair of NZNO's Primary Health Nurses' Council Chiquita Hansen, on gerontology in primary health care nursing; and geriatrician Jan Gregson, who will speak on improving the interface between district health boards and residential care facilities.

A highlight of the first day will be the presentation of the Gerontology Nurse of the Year Award.

The second day of conference will feature a broad range of presentations from interventional hygiene to reduce the risk of pneumonia and bedsores, to whether the use of bedrails is a nursing routine or evidence-based practice; from a presentation on the future of gerontology nursing, to whether it is possible to protect the rights of those with dementia.

Drama producer and director Ginette McDonald will present a consumer's perspective on consent and privacy and NP Michal Boyd will respond to that presentation.

Debating age and health care

The conference, which will be compered by comedian Jim Hopkins, will also feature a debate "Age should influence the health treatment you are given". Conference speakers McDonald, Hudson and Gregson will be the team for the affirmative, and conference speakers Boyd and Eddie Cohen, and NZNO professional nursing adviser Margaret Cain, will speak for the negative. Section secretary Lyneta Russell said there had been a great deal of interest in the conference and positive comment about the speakers. Around 450 people are expected and registrations are still being accepted. To register and for further conference information, please contact section secretary Lyneta Russell: email [e-mail].