Juliana Fort
LSU Health Shreveport, USA
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Neurol Neurophysiol
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a rare illness, with no cure, that has devastating consequences with an average life expectancy of 6 month from diagnosis to death. Because of the rarity of the illness, it is quite unusual to find any family interventions or support for family members navigating the trajectory of the illness period. The one article that was found in which family support had been set up involved only two patients' families because of the rarity of the illness. Narrative Medicine, which is storytelling around personal experiences that caregivers or providers may experience has been shown to increase empathy This presentation will be a personal narrative sharing of a psychiatrist's experience with her mother's Creutzfeldt Jakob disease. It is a story that while a little sad, is mainly uplifting. What will the audience learn from your virtual video presentation? The objectives will be to discuss interventions that may be beneficial to family members, such as helping them understand likely outcomes and the need for palliative care and planning around the death process. The objective will be to discuss the role of trauma in the expression of Creutzfeldt Jakob disease based on the psychiatrist's personal experience and to discuss attitudinal and spiritual aspects surrounding the death process that influence whether the experience is experience as positive or negative.
Juliana Fort, MD, MPH, MBA, is the medical student clerkship director and a Clinical Associate Professor in Psychiatry at LSUHS in Shreveport. She is board certified in child and adolescent, geriatric, forensic, and addiction psychiatry. She also has an MA in mental health counseling with a specialization in drama therapy from Lesley University and an MA in creative writing. She is a play therapist/supervisor and enjoys co-facilitating workshops with students and colleagues, and psychiatry/neurology residents. Interests include expressive arts, improvisation, wellness, medicine and the arts/humanities, psychotherapy, and personal growth.
