‘Alive Inside’ director to keynote Memory Care Forum

Michael Rossato-Bennett, the writer, director and producer of the award-winning documentary “Alive Inside,” will present the closing keynote at the Institute for the Advancement of Senior Care (IASC) Memory Care Forum in Philadelphia. He will share his experiences in working with the therapists, seniors living with dementia and family members as they harness the power of music therapy to promote memory. The film won the 2014 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for best United States documentary.

Rossato-Bennett joins 16 other prominent speakers slated to present at the two-day event, including:

• Kelly Carney, PhD, ABPP, CMC, Executive Director, Center for Excellence in Dementia Care, Phoebe Ministries
• Dayne DuVall, LMT, CAEd, CRTS, COO, National Certification Board for Alzheimer Care
• Joshua Freitas, M.Ed, CADDCT, CAEd, Corporate Director of Memory Care and Resident Engagement LCB Senior Living and the 2016 NCCDP Educator of the year
• Susan Gilster, PhD, RN, Owner and Founder, The Gilster Group
• Leah Klusch, RN, BSN, FACHCA, Executive Director, The Alliance Training Center
• Cynthia Morton, Executive Director, National Association of Long Term Care Support (NASL)

The willingness of top experts to participate in the event is a testament to the need for quality information on memory care from a clinical and a business standpoint, explains Adam Armstrong, IASC director.  “The caliber of people who came together to put the Memory Care Forums on the map helped us create unique opportunities for attendees across disciplines to share experiences and best practices.”

The forum programming has been expanded to include a a provider panel session on staffing, a dedicated session on best practices and more networking opportunities, Armstrong notes. “The feedback from the community has been instrumental to the evolution of our programming, and we’ve been able to take all the excitement generated at the Austin, Texas forum and put lots of new ideas in place for Philadelphia and San Diego.”

Association partners from across disciplines have joined to support the forums, including the American Alzheimer’s Foundation (AFA), American Association of Directors of Nursing Services (AADNS), American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordination (AANAC), CPI Dementia Care Specialists, National Association for the Support of Long Term Care (NASL), National Association of Activity Professionals (NAAP), National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration in Long Term Care (NADONA/LTC), National Certification Board for Alzheimer Care (NCBAC), National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP) and National Council of Post-Acute Care Practitioners (NCPACP).

The Philadelphia Memory Care Forum is May 23-24, 2016.
The San Diego Memory Care Forum is Sept. 22-23, 2016.

Full disclosure: Long-Term Living and IASC are owned by the same parent company, Vendome Group.

Pamela Tabar

Pamela Tabar was editor-in-chief of I Advance Senior Care from 2013-2018. She has worked as a writer and editor for healthcare business media since 1998, including as News Editor of Healthcare Informatics. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Kent State University and a master’s degree in English from the University of York, England.