LIVE WEBINAR | Effective strategies for supporting bereaved individuals living with dementia

 

Who should attend this webinar?

Anyone who works in a professional care role or supports people through all forms of loss and grief. Our content is applicable to a wide variety of professions including counsellors, social workers, teachers, emergency response teams, medical, corrections, mental health, hospice, volunteers, caregivers and more.

Overview

Professionals supporting people living with dementia are deeply familiar with the emotional, cognitive, and behavioural challenges that arise in day-to-day care. Yet when loss and grief enter the picture, these familiar challenges can become more complex and harder to interpret. Dementia can change how a person understands, remembers, and expresses their grief—sometimes in subtle ways, sometimes in ways that are distressing or confusing for those around them.

Even experienced practitioners may find themselves unsure whether behaviours stem from dementia, grief, or a mix of both. Communication that once felt easy may become difficult. Families and support networks may also struggle to know how to help, leaving practitioners to navigate these moments with sensitivity, clarity, and skill.

This webinar invites caregivers, support workers, counsellors, and allied professionals to take a closer look at how dementia shapes the grieving process. Together, we will explore practical, compassionate strategies that honour the dignity, autonomy, and emotional realities of bereaved individuals living with dementia.

Key learning points

  • Understand how dementia changes the way individuals experience, remember, and express grief.
  • Identify behavioural and emotional signs of grief that may overlap with dementia-related symptoms.
  • Develop compassionate communication approaches that use both verbal and non-verbal strategies effectively.
  • Apply practical daily support techniques that create comfort, routine, and emotional stability during bereavement.
  • Strengthen collaboration with families, caregivers, and community supports to reduce isolation and enhance care.
  • Explore long-term therapeutic options such as counselling, reminiscence therapy, and music therapy to support emotional well-being.
  • Reflect on ethical considerations and informed consent when supporting bereaved individuals with diminished cognitive capacity.

Webinar registration details

  • Access to the live two-hour webinar
  • Access to the webinar recording for 30 days
  • Access to a downloadable PDF handout
  • Certificate of accomplishment issued on completion of a short quiz for CPD/OPD points
  • NOTE: Webinar time is shown in NZDT. If you’re joining us from Australia, please use a time-zone converter to see the live time in your state.
  • REGISTER ONLINE

FAQs

Q I can't make the live time, can I still watch?

All registered participants will receive a link to the recording to catch up. It will be available for 30 days.

Q Who is the Presenter?

Kathy Mcilwain
Kia ora, My name is Kathy.

I am from the United States of America and was a US Navy Nurse until I retired and came to New Zealand. My husband is a kiwi and our family is all in New Zealand now. I have four children, six grandchildren and two dogs. I have worked as a registered nurse most of my career working in paediatrics, adult oncology, palliative care and, for most of my career, mental health nursing. I am based in Auckland and work part-time as a mental health crisis nurse for Te Whatu Ora. I work three days per week as a counselor and am completing a Masters Degree in Counseling through the University of Waikato in Narrative Therapy, hopefully finishing in 2025. I have a lot of experience working with people considering suicide and people bereaved by suicide. I am especially experienced working with older adults and dementia care. I love my work because I believe that everyone is entitled to share their stories without judgement and to experience good mental health in their lives.

Q Certificate of Accomplishment & CPD Points

We can provide a certificate of accomplishment for all our training courses. The requirement for receiving a certificate to confirm professional development is as follows:
- You must view a minimum of 80% of a live-presented webinar workshop or
- You must view a minimum of 80% of a recorded webinar workshop
- You must complete a short quiz on the webinar content

We are accredited to provide points/credits to the following organisations, educational institutes, and associations:
- FDANZ
- NZEA
- NZIFH
- AROH

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