General sessions (opening and closing keynotes) & dementia track will be streamed virtually. *Changes in schedule may occur.
9 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Registration, Resource booths and Breakfast
10 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.
Main Auditorium & Virtual
Welcome
Presented by Geri Lehnardt & Linda Cole, MAG Aging & Family Services
10:10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Main Auditorium & Virtual
Opening Keynote
The Resilient Caregiver: Navigating Isolation, Fighting Perfection,
and Learning to Hope
Presented by Lisa Valentine Clark
About Lisa:
11 a.m. - 11:10 a.m.
Main Auditorium & Virtual
Breathwork
Presented by Katie Blanch, Lynden Legacy Foundation
Discover different ways to use breath to calm your nervous system within minutes. Breathing decreases stress, brings immediate calming feelings, and increases feel-good hormones.
About Katie:
Katie learned about Alzheimer's and dementia caring for her mother, who had early-onset Alzheimer's for 10+ years. She has 20 years in fitness, wellness, and healthcare, including RYT-200 yoga, STOTT pilates, and TRX certifications, plus a BYU degree and a 2021 MBA from the University of Utah. Katie is the Director of the Lynden Legacy Foundation, which supports families and friends caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's and other dementias.
11:10 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Break & visit booths
11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Dementia Track
Main Auditorium & Virtual
Dementia can change how a person communicates, reacts and responds to the world around them. Behaviors that are confusing, frustrating or difficult for the caregiver are often a form of communication. This session will explore common dementia-related behaviors and practical strategies for responding in ways that can reduce frustration for both you and your loved one. We’ll focus on understanding what may be behind the behavior, looking for patterns and finding approaches that work in real-life caregiving situations. We will learn how shifting our own perspective can change our response to these challenges.
About Kristy:
General Caregiving Track
Breakout Room - In-person Only
Reframing Our Thoughts & the Stories We Tell Ourselves
Presented by Melanie Bennett, Certified Life Coach
Melanie Bennett is a certified Life Coach and founder of Purpose in This Place.She grew up with one grandmother with dementia in her parents' home and another across the street, and later supported her in-laws through their final years. She knows caregiving brings love and exhaustion in equal measure, and she helps caregivers find peace, strength, and purpose right where they are.
Self-Care Track
Breakout Room - In-person Only
Zen Den
1:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.
Dementia Track
Main Auditorium & Virtual
Caring for someone with dementia can turn everyday tasks into unexpected challenges. This session explores simple tools, adaptations and creative strategies that can make daily routines easier and less frustrating. From using a red plate to improve visibility, a specialty cup to support drinking, or creative approaches to reduce wandering, we’ll share practical ideas that can support your loved one while making day-to-day caregiving a little more manageable.
About Kate:
Kate is a gerontologist and Certified Dementia Practitioner with 20+ years in dementia care and long-term care. She runs Utah's Caregiver Support Program and its Alzheimer's and related dementias program for the state's Division of Aging & Adult Services, and has written dementia trainings for the Alzheimer's Association. She holds degrees in psychology from the College of Wooster and gerontology from Miami University, and she's a caregiver herself.
General Caregiving Track
Breakout Room - In-person Only
Caring Without Going Broke: A Caregiver’s Guide to Long-Term Care Medicaid
Presented by Landon Sandberg, Attorney
Join elder law attorney Landon Sandberg for a practical guide to paying for long-term care without exhausting a lifetime of savings. Caregivers will learn how Utah’s Long-Term Care Medicaid program works, common mistakes to avoid, and planning strategies that can help protect assets, support a spouse at home, and secure needed care—even when a loved one needs help now.
Self-Care Track
Breakout Room - In-person Only
Zen Den
Step away from the hustle of the day and recharge in our Zen Den. This calming space offers sand trays, activities, and creative tools designed to reduce stress and spark joy.
2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Break & visit booths
2:30 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Main Auditorium & Virtual
Closing Keynote
One More Day: The Role of a Caregiver
Presented by Tammy Sloan
Description coming soon.
Tammy Sloan is a business executive, community advocate, and public speaker, best known as the widow of legendary Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan. Professionally, she served as the Vice President of Sales at Sysco Intermountain, leading her division to become the company's top-performing distribution branch. Following her husband's battle with Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia, she became a prominent health advocate, sharing her caregiving journey to support families impacted by dementia. Her extensive philanthropic work includes over 25 years with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Utah/Idaho Chapter and supporting The Ron McBride Foundation for underrepresented youth.
3:15 p.m.
Main Auditorium & Virtual
Conference Wrap Up
Presented by Geri Lehnardt
Conference wrap up and door prizes. Must be present to win.
Karen was a CNA for 15 years, specializing in hospice and dementia care, and a family caregiver for four years. Karen has worked with MAG for five years in Information & Referral and the Caregiver Support program
Gary Piner is a retired entrepreneur and Vietnam Vet in the Marines. He was married to his wife Charlee for 52 years, while she had a successful career as a hospice nurse and he spent his entire adult life teaching and lecturing about the business of dentistry. In 2015, Charlee was diagnosed with Lewy Body dementia, and he continued to diligently care for her until she passed away in 2020. Together, he and Charlee raised 5 wonderful children, two of which were adopted with special needs.
While the years caring for his wife were some of the most difficult years of my life, he is trying to be the unobtrusive champion, making one day better than the last.
Alzheimer's is not normal aging. It's a disease of the brain that causes problems with memory, and thinking behavior. Join us to learn about the impact of Alzheimer's, the difference between Alzheimer's and dementia, disease stages and risk factors. Current research and treatments to address some symptoms, and Alzheimer's Association resources.
Presented by Dr Brian Hill.