Rocky Mountain Alzheimers Summit Scheduled June 13

The Rocky Mountain Alzheimer’s Summit brings together the Wyoming dementia care community to network and share ideas, resources and innovations on care for those with dementia.

This year’s summit, with the theme “Making a Difference Now: The Best Possible Care for Individuals with Dementia,” is scheduled June 13-15 at the Little America Conference Center in Cheyenne. The conference is supported through funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration to the Wyoming Center on Aging (WyCOA) at the University of Wyoming.

The goal of the summit is to provide health care professionals, direct care workers, older adults and caregivers of individuals with dementia with up-to-date education about improving the lives of those with Alzheimer’s disease and those who provide care for these individuals.

The conference has been organized through a collaborative effort including the WyCOA, the Alzheimer’s Association-Wyoming Chapter, Mountain Pacific Quality Health Foundation-Wyoming, Wyoming AARP, Wyoming Department of Health Aging Division and Wyoming Dementia Care.

The summit will feature national and regional speakers, focused discussions and presentations, interactive and panel discussions, free continuing education credits and networking opportunities.

The summit schedule includes a pre-conference workshop featuring Teepa Snow Tuesday, June 13. Snow is one of America’s leading educators on caring for individuals with dementia. The pre-conference workshop is for health care professionals and direct care workers. There is a registration fee.

The summit, free of charge, takes place Wednesday, June 14, and Thursday, June 15. It will feature caregiver and health care professional tracks. In addition to Snow, plenary speakers include: Amy Goyer, an aging, home and family expert for AARP; Niki Kapsambelis, author of the acclaimed book “The Inheritance: A Family on the Front Lines of Battle Against Alzheimer’s Disease”; Jon Pynoos, professor of gerontology, policy and planning at the University of Southern California; and Dean Hartley, director of science initiatives, Medical and Scientific Relations, Alzheimer’s Association.

Panel discussions will provide information about Alzheimer’s resources available in Wyoming, as well as legal and financial preparation.

Registration and more information can be found at www.uwyo.edu/wycoa/educational_and_training_opportunities/rocky_mtn_alzheimers_summit.html; call (307) 766-2829; email wycoa@uwyo.edu; or go to www.facebook.com/wycoa/.