Past Events – Page 2 – Dakota Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program

Information for Healthcare Professionals about Coronavirus (COVID-19)
This guidance outlines goals and strategies suggested for U.S. healthcare professionals in response to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

Public Resources

Advanced Healthcare Directives

Advance directives, or living wills, inform your family about your wishes if you become too ill to let them know.

National POLST Paradigm

North Dakota Honoring Choices – Physicians Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)
POLST’s goal is to effectively communicate the wishes of patients facing serious illness or end of life care.

Alzheimer’s

Care Consultation
An in-depth, personalized service for individuals and families who are facing many decisions and challenges associated with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.

Articles

No Country for Old Age
When it comes to old age, illness, and death, little remains to us of common meaning or shared social rituals.

Health Promotion

SilverSneakers
A fitness program for seniors that’s included with many Medicare Advantage plans. Membership includes access to every participating gym and fitness center in the network. Fitness classes are offered for all abilities led by our SilverSneakers trained instructors.

CDC’s National Registry of Recognized Diabetes Prevention Programs
Lists contact information for all CDC-recognized organizations that deliver evidence-based type 2 diabetes prevention programs in communities across the United States.

Podcasts

Everything Your Doc Wants You to Know
Information about health matters affecting adults, from latest research updates to tips on navigating the health system and everything in between.

Services

Service Providers for Seniors
Area guide to services for seniors in the Greater Grand Forks area (North Dakota)

Dementia Friendly Healthcare and Community Symposium

This day-long symposium is held annually and hosts national experts in dementia care. Topics include dementia assessment, treatment, and community support.

May 13, 2026

Brain Health and Cerebrovascular Care
Behnam Sabayan, MD

Women’s Health and Dementia
Shehroo Pudumjee, PhD

Remembering Your Why: The Synergy of Salutogenic Science for Brain Longevity & Supplement Recommendations
David Rakel, MD

Rational Preventive Care in the Context of Dementia
Amy Thomas, MD

The Music-Dementia Connection
Sarah McKiddy, BSN

Updates in Dementia Prevention
Angela Hanson, MD

May 21, 2025

Feeding the Brain: Nutrition Strategies for Dementia Prevention & Care
Kristen Neises (Martin), APRN, FNP-C, DipACLM

Navigating Dual Diagnosis of Mental Health with People Living with Dementia
Joseph Rees, MD

Falls And Falls Risk Increasing Drugs
Mark Dewey, PharmD

Assessment and Screening Tools of Mental Health Disorders with Dementia Diagnosis
Sam Cotton, PharmD

Assessment and Management of Multiple Chronic Conditions with Memory Loss
George Rath, MD

The Rise of State Dementia Coordinators & Multisector ADRD Training and Support Resources
Jennifer Craig, MBA & Nicolette Castagna, LMHC, MPH, CDP

June 5, 2024

This 5th annual virtual symposium was a FREE learning opportunity for providers, healthcare professionals, and community workers with national experts on dementia practices.

These video presentations were from the June 5, 2024 virtual symposium.

Differential Diagnosis
Douglas Lane, PhD

Reviewing Disease Modifying Therapies and the Potential Challenges of Implementation
Hamid Okhravi, MD

Capacity Assessment & the Nature of Disability
Julia Hiner, MD

Dementia Assessment and Role of Specialists
Allison Gibson, PhD, MSW

Communication of Diagnosis and Follow Up Support
Anila Z. Medina, MD, MPH

Care Fragmentation in Older Adults with Alzheimer’s Disease
Sara Turbow, MD, MPH

June 7, 2023

Dakota Geriatrics presents its 4th annual free learning opportunity for providers, healthcare professionals, and community workers with national experts on dementia practices.

These video presentations were from the June 7, 2023 virtual symposium.

State Plans for Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
Rebecca Quinn, LMSW, CBIST

Detecting and Addressing Geriatric Syndromes in People Living With Dementia
Rachel B. R. Chalmer, MD

Role of Social Workers in Working with Caregivers to Prevent and Survive Hospitalizations of Persons with Dementia
Kate Gordon, MSW

Acute Hospitalization for People with Dementia: A Bridge Not a Gap
Douglas W. Lane, PhD

Role of the Pharmacist in the Management of Persons Living with Dementia
Nicole J. Brandt, PharmD

Oral Health and Dementia
Enrique Varela, DDS

Providers and Caregivers as Allies
Melissa Baartman Mork, PsyD

Health Care Providers as Leaders in Dementia Friendly Health Care
Donald Jurivich, DO

June 8, 2022

Dakota Geriatrics presents its 3rd annual free learning opportunity for providers, healthcare professionals, and community workers with national experts on dementia practices.

The virtual symposium was held on June 8, 2022.

Benefits of Creative Arts for Persons with Dementia and Their Caregivers
Anna St. Amant
Life Enrichment Director at Touchmark at Harwood Groves

Alzheimer’s Disease is a Multi-Organ System Disorder with Environmental Precipitants
Arnold Eiser, MD, MACP
Drexel University College of Medicine

Aging in Place With Technological Enhancement
George Demiris, PhD, FACMI
University of Pennsylvania

Non-Pharmacological Management of Behavioral Problems in Patients with Dementia
Ann Morrison, PhD, RN, CS
John Hopkins University

Interpretation of Clock Draw: Visual Spatial Management of Dementia
Michael Mercury, PhD
Northwestern University

Cognitive Training
Jerri Edwards, PhD
College of Medicine Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, University of South Florida

Pharmacological Management of Behavioral Problems in Patients with Dementia
Christopher Marano, MD
University of Maryland Medical Center

June 16, 2021

The collaboration of Dakota Geriatrics, Wyoming Center on Aging and St. Louis University Gateway Geriatric Education Center presented “Dementia Friendly Healthcare and Community Support.” This day long symposium involved national experts in dementia care. Topics included dementia assessment, treatment, and community support.

The video presentations and slide decks are from the virtual symposium held on June 16, 2021.

Loneliness & Social Isolation
Marla Berg-Weger, PhD, ACSW, LCSW
School of Social Work
Saint Louis University
Slides

Early Detection of Dementia
Soo Borson, MD
University of Washington School of Medicine
Slides

Whole Person Dementia Assessment
Angela Sanford, MD
Saint Louis University
Slides

Cognitive Stimulation Therapy
Max Zubatsky, PhD, LMFT
Department of Family and Community Medicine
Saint Louis University
Slides

Pros and Cons of Medications for Dementia
George Grossberg, MD and John Morley, MD
Saint Louis University
“Pro” Slides | “Con” Slides

Training Providers for Caregiver Education
J. Riley McCarten, MD
Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center
Minneapolis VA Health Care System
Slides

Driving and Dementia
Richard Marottoli, MD, MPH
Geriatrics
Yale School of Medicine
Slides

June 24, 2020

The video presentations and slide decks are from the virtual symposium held on June 24, 2020.

Presentations

Dementia Imaging: A Multimodality Approach with Emphasis on Nuclear Imaging
Presented by Erica Martin-Macintosh, M.D.

Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia
Presented by Robert Olson, M.D.

Medical Management of Dementia
Presented by Lindsey Dahl, M.D.

Decreasing the Impact of Dementia: The Value of Assessment and Networks
Presented by Daniel Murman, M.D., M.S.

How Alzheimer’s Disease Affects the Brain, Behavior, Cognition, and Personality
Presented by Robyn Birkeland, Ph.D.

Managing Day-to-Day: Coping with Stress, Guilt and Grief
Presented by Katherine Herreid, M.S., C.P.G.

Improving Quality of Life for North Dakotans
Presented by Janna Pastir, M.P.H.

Age-Friendly Healthcare for American Indian Elders Symposium

This virtual symposium is a free learning opportunity for providers, healthcare professionals, and community workers applying Age-Friendly Healthcare in American Indian populations.

March 4, 2026 Materials

Honoring Tradition in Nutrition Care for Native American Elders – Shauna Parisien, RDN

Healing Rooted in Compassion – Johanna Farmer, JD

Incorporating Mobility in Everyday Life – Ruth De La Cruz, PhD; Devon Headdress, BS

February 28, 2025 Materials

Resilience Matters: In Research and Practice – Regina Robbins, PhD

Medicine Wheel: Circle of Life – Karen Semmens, DNP; Iris Walking Eagle – Case Manager/Care Coordinator; Shaylynn Demarrias – Dementia Project Coordinator

Deeply Rooted: The Ways Traditional Foods Contribute to the Health and Wellbeing of Tribal Elders – Ruth Plenty Sweetgrass-She Kills, PhD

Games & Art to Promote Elder’s Health in Indian Country – Donald Jurivich, DO; Nicole Derenne, MA, MPA

April 10, 2024 Materials

Event Recordings

Improving Health through Collaborating with Traditional Medicine
Frederick K. Ness, MD, St. Croix Chippewa Indian of Wisconsin

The History and Legacy of American Indian Boarding Schools
Denise Lajimodiere, EdD, MEd, BS, National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition

Enhancing Engagement in Motion: Exploring Barriers, Facilitators, and Innovative Approaches for Indigenous Elders
Lavonne Fox, PhD, OTR/L, University of North Dakota

Indigenized Traumatic Grief and Loss
Tami Jollie-Trottier, PhD, Indigenized Behavioral Healing

March 24, 2023 Materials

Event Videos and Slides

The Aging Brain
Tami Jollie-Trottier, PhD, Indigenized Behavioral Healing
Slides
Mind, Thinking, and Memory in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities
Jordan P. Lewis, PhD, MSW, Professor, Department of Family Medicine & Biobehavioral Health, University of Minnesota Medical School – Duluth
Slides
Multifactorial Causation & Risk Reduction of Dementia: Indigenous Histories, Current Pathologies, and Prevention Potentials
Joseph Neil Henderson, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Family Medicine & Biobehavioral Health University of Minnesota Medical School
Slides
American Indian Medicinal Plants for Menopause: Collaboration with Urban Indigenous Women
Tristesse Burton, PhD, MSL, Bridge to Faculty Postdoctoral Scholar, Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow
Slides
Cultural Aspects of Care
Donald Jurivich, DO, Chair of Geriatrics, University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences
Slides

April 8, 2022 Materials

Age-friendly healthcare involves using evidence-based practice and awareness of older adult’s health care based on the framework of Geriatrics 4Ms: What Matters, Mentation, Medication, and Mobility. This half day symposium hosted regional experts who discussed incorporation of each of the 4Ms in patient care specific for American Indian populations over zoom webinar. This FREE activity provided up to four educational credits.

Summary of Event

8:00 – 9:00 am What Matters to American Indian Elders | Tami Jollie-Trottier, PhD, Indigenized Behavioral Healing

9:15 – 10:15 am Training Providers to Educate Caregivers of Native Elders with Dementia | Jordan P. Lewis, PhD, MSW, Associate Director, Memory Keepers Medical Discovery Team – Health Equity, Professor, Department of Family Medicine & Biobehavioral Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth campus

10:30 – 11:30 am Guiding Healthcare for Elders | Monica Mayer, MD, Council Women and Physician, Quentin N. Burdick Memorial Hospital

11:45 am – 12:45 pm Gait and Mobility Disturbances in Dementia | Blythe S. Winchester, MD, MPH, CMD, AGSF, Director of Geriatrics Services, Cherokee Indian Hospital, Certified Medical Director, Tsali Care Center, Chief Clinical Consultant, Geriatrics and Palliative Care, Indian Health Service

Partners

College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines, University of North Dakota

Dakota Geriatrics

Center for Rural Health

National Resource Center on Native American Aging

March 30-31 Event Materials

Geriatrics problems are common but often under recognized in health care. More than 80% of older adults with memory impairment go unrecognized by their primary care providers. Nearly two-thirds of older adults at risk for falls have no mitigating healthcare plan. To address this gap, Age-Friendly Care adopts evidence-based practice through the Geriatrics 4Ms: What Matters, Mentation, Medication, and Mobility.

Sponsored by Dakota Geriatrics, this symposium program brought regional experts together to discuss the Geriatrics 4Ms in patient care specific for American Indian populations in the Great Plains.

Mobility Assessments and Action Plans
Meridee Danks, DPT, NCS
University of North Dakota
Slides

Isolation and Loneliness
Tami Jollie-Trottier, PhD
Indigenized Behavioral Healing, Belcourt, North Dakota

Brain Health and Dementia Prevention
J. Neil Henderson, PhD
University of Minnesota

What Matters
Donald Jurivich, DO
Chair of Geriatrics, University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Functional Mobility for the Joy of Living
Lavonne Fox, PhD, OTR/L and Sclinda Janssen PhD, OTR/L
University of North Dakota
Slides | Handout

Overview of Age Friendly 4Ms Framework
Donald Jurivich, DO
University of North Dakota
Slides

What Matters
John Eagle Shield
(Retired) Director, Standing Rock
Slides

Aging vs. Dementia
Jacque Gray, PhD
University of North Dakota
Slides

Prescription Management with Traditional Indigenous Medications
Nicole Redvers, ND, MPH
University of North Dakota