Redefining Alzheimer’s Care:

The Power of Diverse Therapies

Offered in collaboration with the

Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter

Date:    Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Time:    8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

 Location: Thelma Keller Convention Center, 1202 N. Keller Drive, Effingham 

This conference will be fun and interactive with a robust agenda that will offer the most current information on the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and other dementias and give you a host of cutting edge therapeutic approaches to communicate and connect at every stage,

The Alzheimer’s Association has consistently brought timely topics with practical ideas and interventions to conferences throughout Illinois.  A wide variety of exhibitors and additional resources will be available. 

Faculty:

Mary Beth Flynn has a B.S. in Human and Environmental Sciences from the University of Missouri. It was through Mary Beth’s extensive art background, experience working with seniors, and desire to contribute to the good of society that her vision for the Artfully Aging®  therapeutic watercolor program came to life. While serving as a senior caregiver in addition to her professional art career, she saw first-hand the impact art had on older adults living in all care levels, providing them with a sense of pride and confidence their conditions often took from them. Since launching Artfully Aging in 2009, Mary Beth has led over 4000 hands on, therapeutic watercolor art sessions.

Deborah Kuhns currently works on programming for patients and caregivers at the Smith Alzheimer Center at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.  The Center is located in Springfield, Illinois and is one of three state designated Regional Alzheimer Disease Centers.  The programs Debbie works with are called Beyond the Medical Center and involve keeping the patient’s mind and body active with exercise, art, music and various other activities.  Debbie has a passion for helping those suffering from Alzheimer’s whether it be a patient, caregiver or family member. She also provides education and survival tips in her Dementia Caregiving 101 series to the community. 

Mehul Trivedi is an Assistant Professor and Clinical Neuropsychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at SIU School of Medicine. He completed his Clinical Neuropsychology Residency in the Department of Neurology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He completed his Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology at Northern Illinois University and a Clinical Psychology re-specialization program at the Illinois Institute of Technology. He was previously employed as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurological Sciences at Rush University Medical Center. His clinical interests include neuropsychological evaluation in individuals with neurological, psychiatric, and general medical conditions with a particular focus on the detection of normal versus abnormal aging.

Kelly Willenborg is an entrepreneur, a certified health coach & an educator of non-pharmaceutical interventions for neuro health.  She is the founder of both MyMemoryWorx (online cognitive coaching) & Peace for Parkinson’s, a disease resource center including Rock Steady Boxing.  She holds numerous certifications specializing in neuro intensive programming including Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) and specializes in Parkinson’s.  She is a “serial start-up junkie” interning for a Hollywood music catalog, Music Supervisor.com & promoting a money-losing Woodstock Reunion Tour (Canned Heat, etc).  In 2010, Kelly launched the Healing Jukebox facilitating structured musical engagement to reduce symptoms in seniors with dementia & educating healthcare staff through dozens of speaking engagements.  She led the tri-state “Ipod for Elders” crusade in IL, IN, & MO and assisted Music & Memory Organization in screening events for the award-winning film about the power of music, “Alive Inside”.  Currently, she works as the Director of Music Outreach for the Alive Inside Foundation & finds enjoyment instructing online fitness for Parkinson’s Foundation of the National Capital Area.  She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate from St. Louis University & holds a Master’s in Aging Studies/Gerontology.  Fun fact:  She sold her dream car, a 1971 VW Bus, to establish scholarships for long-term care homes to launch personalized music programs.

Conflict of Interest Policy Statement:   Faculty participating in this program are expected to disclose to the program audience any real or apparent conflict(s) or unlabeled use related to the content of their presentations.