Center for the Study of Aging & Clinical Applications (CSACA)
Living with Chronic, Serious Illness in Later Life: The Role of Palliative Care
Date: Sunday, May 17, 2026
Time: 9:45 AM – 4:15 PM
Location: Online via Zoom
Faculty & Co-Chairs: Yara Moustafa, MD, PhD, Co-Chair, Judy Peres, MSW, Co-Chair, George Saiger, MD, and Margo Silberstein, EdD
Guest Speakers: Joanne Lynn, MD, Franca Posner, MSW, Gary Stein, JD, MSW, and Lydia Segal, MD
CEs/CMEs Pending
Program Description:
This interdisciplinary workshop brings together leading clinicians in geriatrics, psychiatry, social work, and palliative care to explore how professionals can better support older adults and their families navigating serious illness.
Older adults living with chronic, serious illness face far more than medical challenges. Persistent pain, anticipatory grief, difficult care decisions, and questions about meaning, dignity, and dependency often shape the experience of later life.
Through clinical presentations, case discussion, and experiential reflection, participants will examine practical approaches to advance care planning, grief and loss, chronic pain, and the psychological realities of living with serious illness in later life. Keynote speaker Joanne Lynn, MD, a national leader in palliative care and health policy, will frame the day with insights on aligning care with patients’ values, function, and goals.
Schedule:
9:45 – 10:00 - Welcome and Orientation – Yara Moustafa, MD, PhD and Judy Peres, MSW
10:00 – 10:45 - Keynote: Caring for Frailty and Serious Illness in Late Life - Joanne Lynn, MD, MA, MS
10:45 – 11:00 - Keynote Discussion
11:00 – 11:10 - Break
11:10 – 11:40 - Grief and Anticipatory Loss in Later - Franca Posner, MSW
11:40 – 12:10 - Advance Care Planning in Later Life - Gary Stein, JD, MSW
12:10 – 12:40 - Living with Chronic Pain in Later Life - Lydia Segal, MD
12:40 – 1:10 – Panel Discussion with Presenters – Integrating grief, advance care planning, and pain management in the context of chronic, serious illness.
1:10-1:55 – Lunch Break
1:55 – 2:40 - Case Presentation: Coping with Mortality at Age 85 - Judy Peres, MSW and George Saiger, MD
2:40 – 2:45 - Break
2:45 – 3:50 - Creativity in the Face of Loss: Experiential Reflection - Yara Moustafa, MD, PhD and Margo Silberstein, EdD
3:50 – 4:15 – Closing Plenary: Reflections and Evaluation
Learning Objectives:
1.Identify psychosocial, existential, and symptom-related challenges experienced by older adults living with chronic, serious illness, including frailty, chronic pain, grief, and dehumanization within care systems.
2. Apply psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, and meaning-centered frameworks when working with older adults and families coping with dependency, loss, and mortality.
3. Implement practical palliative care strategies to address chronic pain, anticipatory grief, and advance care planning in later life.
4. Integrate narrative reflection and experiential practices that support dignity, resilience, and creativity in the face of loss.
Registration closes May 15, 2026 at noon ET.
NWSP members must be logged in as a member on the NWSP website to register with the membership rate.
