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Understanding Brain Health and Dementia
Join us for the 2nd Annual Memory Symposium: Understanding Brain Health and Dementia — a conference designed for rural health care professionals ready to deepen their expertise, gain practical tools, and bring cutting-edge dementia care back to their communities.
Gain insights from leading experts in neurology, geriatrics, and mental health as they share practical strategies for supporting families affected by dementia. Our sessions are tailored to address the unique challenges faced by rural health care providers. Connect with fellow professionals, exchange experiences, and build a supportive network.
Thursday, September 10, 2026 | 9:15 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Agenda
08:30 AM - 09:15 AM
Registration/Networking Breakfast
09:15 AM - 09:30 AM
Welcome/Opening Remarks
09:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Alzheimer’s Diagnosis and Assessment: A Practical Update for Rural Healthcare Professionals
Mary Pohlmann, MD, PhD, Adjunct Assistant Professor, SIU School of Medicine
Accurate and timely diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease remains a significant challenge, particularly in rural and resource-limited settings where access to specialists, diagnostic tools, and support services may be limited. Primary care clinicians and front-line healthcare professionals often serve as the first, and sometimes only, point of contact for patients experiencing cognitive decline, underscoring the need for practical, team-based approaches to assessment and care.
10:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Break
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Emerging Disease-Modifying Therapeutics in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias: Clinical Integration and Patient-Centered Implementation
Rob Reichert, PharmD, Deaconess Health System
The approval of disease-modifying therapies — including Lecanemab, Donanemab, and Aducanumab — marks a paradigm shift from symptomatic management to biomarker-guided treatment for Alzheimer's disease. This one-hour presentation offers healthcare professionals a review of newly approved and emerging therapeutics for Alzheimer's and related dementias. Topics include clinical trial data, patient selection, biomarker utilization (amyloid PET, CSF analysis), ARIA surveillance, infusion logistics, reimbursement, and real-world implementation. The session also explores pipeline therapies targeting tau, neuroinflammation, and synaptic dysfunction — and their implications for interprofessional teams across neurology, primary care, geriatrics, psychiatry, pharmacy, and nursing.
11:45 AM - 12:30 PM
Lunch & Illinois Brain Health Project Overview
12:30 PM - 01:30 PM
Effective Communication Strategies in Caregiving for Patients with Memory Impairments
Elaine Jurkowski, PhD, M.S.W., M.BA., Professor, College of Health & Human Services, SIU Carbondale
Effective communication is a cornerstone of high-quality care for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and memory impairment. As cognitive decline affects language, comprehension, and emotional regulation, healthcare professionals must adapt their approaches to reduce distress, improve cooperation, and preserve patient dignity. This one-hour session provides practical, evidence-based strategies to enhance communication across all stages of memory impairment. Participants will explore how cognitive changes impact behavior and how ineffective communication can contribute to agitation and poor clinical outcomes. Topics include simplification of language, nonverbal cues, validation of emotion, and redirection. This activity equips rural healthcare professionals with actionable tools to strengthen their clinical practice.
01:30 PM - 01:45 PM
Break
01:45 PM - 02:55 PM
U.S.POINTER – Topline Results of a Large Multisite Randomized Controlled Multidomain Lifestyle Intervention Trial
Tom Holland, MD, PhD, Rush University Health System
This one-hour, evidence-based session will provide an overview of the primary objective, recruitment, enrollment, statistical outcomes, and clinical relevance of a randomized controlled multidomain lifestyle intervention. An overview of the cognitive benefits of the intervention and the latest ancillary study research will also be highlighted.
02:55 PM - 03:00 PM
Closing Remarks
Date / Time / Location:
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
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9:15a - 3:00p
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John A. Logan College - 700 Logan College Rd., Carterville, IL 62918
Key Topics:
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Latest Best Practices in Brain Health Interventions
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Effective Communication
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Diagnosis and Assessment
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New FDA Approved Therapeutics
Cost:
There is no cost to attend this conference, and continuing education credits are provided complementary to all attendees.
Who Should Attend?
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Professional I (Professional caregiver, direct care staff, administrator; please note, no continuing education credits offered)
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Professional II (Health and allied health professional with CEU or CME)
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Those seeking Certificate of Completion and Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDUs).
Continuing Education:
4.0 CEU, CME credits offered for attendees registered as a Professional II only. The following professionals are eligible for continuing education credit:
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Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
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Counselor-Professional/Clinical
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Dietitian/Nutrition Counselor
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Marriage and Family Counselor
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Nurse (APN, RN, LPN)
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Nursing Home Administrator
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Occupational Therapist/COTA
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Physical Therapist/PTA
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Physician
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Psychologist
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Respiratory Therapist
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Social Worker (LSW, LCSW)
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Others, please inquire at gkuhn@alz.org
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Inquire about other licenses or credentials at ceupro.com
Contact:
For additional questions, please reach out to Gene Kuhn, Senior Health Systems Account Manager at the Alzheimer's Association, at gkuhn@alz.org.
Planning Committee:
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Becky Salazar, Executive Director, Egyptian Area Agency on Aging
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Susan Grace, MSW, Neurology, SIU Carbondale
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Ann Jirmasek, MA, MA, LCPC, NCC, Clinical Gerontology Specialist, Smith Alzheimer’s Center Neuroscience Institute (NSI), SIU School of Medicine
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Maret Visser, Manager, MedSurg Unit, SSM Southern Illinois Regional Hospital
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Courtney Thomas, Regional Manager, Neuroscience, Deaconess Health System
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Cindy Womack, FNP-BC – Nurse Practitioner, Smith Alzheimer’s Center Neuroscience Institute (NSI), SIU School of Medicine
Presenters
Dr. Thomas M. Holland, MD, MS
Elaine T. Jurkowski, PhD, M.S.W., M.BA.
Dr. Mary Pohlmann, MD, PhD
Rob Reichert, Pharma, RPh
Thomas M. Holland, MD, MS, is a physician-scientist at the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging and Chair of the Research Core at the Center for Excellence in Aging. His work focuses on lifestyle, nutrition, and neuro-epidemiology, with landmark research on flavonols, diet, and Alzheimer’s risk. His studies have been published in Neurology, and his expert commentary has appeared in Parade Magazine, Dr. Radio, national television segments on NBC and ABC, and more than 600 editorial contributions and media features, including CNN and The New York Times. His two Neurology papers on flavonols and dementia risk and on flavonols and cognitive decline have reached billions of readers worldwide. His ongoing work on diet and cognition continues to gain international attention, and in recognition of his broader impact, Doximity named him among the Top 10% Most Mentioned Clinicians in the Press in 2024.
Dr. Holland completed medical school at Rush in 2016, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship under Martha Clare Morris, Sc.D., one of the creators of the MIND diet. He earned his MS in Clinical Research in 2020 with a thesis on flavonol intake and Alzheimer’s dementia, now widely cited and globally disseminated, and began his PhD in Health Sciences with an emphasis on neurodegeneration in 2023.
He serves key leadership roles in the U.S. POINTER trial as Medical Advisor, Study Clinician, and member of the Cognition Determination Committee, providing participants with personalized interpretation of labs, genetic risk, and PET imaging. Nationally, he contributes to the Wellness Committee and serves on the Board of Trustees for Mind What Matters, supporting Alzheimer’s prevention, advocacy, and community programs.
Dr. Holland is also a dedicated educator, teaching and mentoring across multiple programs at Rush, and was named Research Mentor of the Year in 2025. He is a frequent invited lecturer at institutions including Tufts, UC Davis, and Villanova, and provides quarterly lectures on nutrition and the microbiome for the Brain Health Masterclass for Multiple Sclerosis. A regular speaker at national and international conferences, he emphasizes how lifestyle and community-based interventions can profoundly improve brain health and healthy aging.
Dr. Jurkowski has worked within the area of aging and disability throughout her professional and academic career. She earned her MSW from the University o0f Manitoba, Canada and PhD in Public Health and Social Policy from the University of Illinois Chicago (USA). She has written eight textbooks and numerous articles within the areas of aging, disability, access to health care and rural health disparities for older adults and people with disabilities. She has also served in various academic roles that promote the education of the geriatric workforce, including the Co-ordinator of SIU’s Certificate in Gerontology program.
Dr. Mary Pohlmann is a retired family practice physician, having spent most of her medical career as a physician and medical chief of staff for the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Student Health Service. She is a 1983 graduate of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and has both MD and PhD degrees from SIU. She completed her Family Practice residency in 1986 in Carbondale and was chief resident for her final year. She was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society in 2024.
Since her retirement from SIU in 2002, she has served on the Jackson County Medical Reserve Corps and as a volunteer instructor of physical exam and interviewing skills for first-year medical students at SIU. She served 20 years on the Jackson County Board of Health, four years as Councilmember of the Carbondale City Council, and was the chair of the Smoke-Free Carbondale Coalition. She also enjoys teaching medically related courses for Southern Illinois Learning in Retirement and recently completed training as a Community Educator for the Alzheimer’s Association.
Rob Reichert, PharmD, RPh currently serves as the Pharmacy Director at Deaconess Illinois Union County Hospital and Pharmacy lead for the Deaconess Illinois Union County Memory Clinic infusion program that specializes in the infusions of amyloid beta monoclonal antibodies. Mr. Reichert obtained a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy, is a registered pharmacist in Illinois and has 15 years of Critical Access Hospital pharmacy experience. He has significant experience in the Development of new multiple clinical pharmacy processes including Antimicrobial Stewardship, Opioid Stewardship, and outpatient infusion programs. Mr. Reichert currently is on faculty at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine as a Pharmacology Instructor for the Physician Assistant Program. In this role specializing in providing disease-specific lectures with a focus on physiologic functions, medication mechanism of actions, and appropriate medication utilization.
This conference is free to attend, and all continuing education credits are complimentary to those who attend.
This conference is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $80,000.00 with 46 percent funded by the CDC/HHS and 54 percent funded by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
Funding for this conference was made possible (in part) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.