The conference, now in its fourth year, will feature experts in aging, dementia and Alzheimer’s research, innovation and public health. The and the are hosting the conference April 19-21 at the Brown Hotel, 335 W. Broadway, in Louisville.

“We are thrilled to present such a strong line-up of speakers,” said Anna Faul, PhD, executive director of the University of Louisville Trager Institute. “The presenters, along with our breakout and poster sessions, will provide an incredibly rich and engaging experience for anyone working in the aging field or who has interest in inspiring our understanding of aging,” she said.

2020 Optimal Aging Conference Topics and Speakers:

Aging Inspired in Kentucky: Directions in Aging Policy (Panel Discussion)

• Sandy Markwood, national CEO, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
• Eric Friedlander, acting secretary, Kentucky Cabinet for Health & Family Services
• LaDonna Koebel, executive director, Office of Senior Protection & Mediation, Kentucky Office of the Attorney General

A Community Network Approach to Health
Eric Feigl-Ding, PhD, chief health economist, MicroClinic International; faculty member, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston

Ending the Alzheimer’s Pandemic
Dale Bredesen, MD, professor, UCLA; founding president and professor emeritus, Buck Institute for Research on Aging; author of New York Times bestseller, The End of Alzheimer’s

AARP Keynote: Words of Wisdom for #Agetech Entrepreneurs
Nigel Smith, MBA, director, Hatchery Ventures, AARP Innovation Labs, Washington, D.C.

Alzheimer’s Update
Gregory Jicha, MD, PhD, professor of neurology; director, Sanders-Brown Center on Aging at the University of Kentucky

Guided by the theme “Aging Inspired,” conference attendees also will hear from experts on a number of topics including: how to prevent financial elder abuse, national programs and arts activism counteracting ageism, programs for caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias, the future impacts of artificial intelligence and robotics in senior care, trauma-informed care of older adults, international evidence-based falls programs, lifestyle medicine nutrition and more.

“The 2020 Optimal Aging Conference provides outstanding resources, inspiring ideas, and continuing education for Kentucky’s aging service professionals. The conference is a great opportunity for networking and professional development,” said Stacey Watkins, president of the Kentucky Association of Gerontology.

The UofL Trager Institute also will host a mobile workshop for its new Republic Bank Foundation Optimal Aging Clinic. The clinic, located in Louisville’s Innovation Corridor, is a one-stop-shop that provides integrated life-long wellness by combining lifestyle and preventative medicine with specialized and acute care.

Early-bird registration ends March 22. More information, including registration, is .��

The conference, hosted by the and the , is June 9 to June 11 at the Brown Hotel in Louisville.

“We are particularly excited about this year’s theme – Aging Inspired,” said Anna Faul, executive director of the UofL Trager Institute. “The theme challenges us to come together to explore how we can inspire, innovate, impact, investigate and integrate the aging experience.”

“This conference is a great resource for Kentucky’s aging service professionals and provides a compelling combination of continuing education, general sessions and networking opportunities,” said Stacey Watkins, president of the Kentucky Association of Gerontology.��

Participants will hear from experts on a number of topics including how to utilize technology as a catalyst to improve and sustain an independent living environment; the importance of non-drug interventions in the treatment of pain; and how animal-assisted interventions can decrease social isolation, agitation and depression for dementia patients and their caregivers.

This multi-day conference features four keynote speakers and more than 30 breakout sessions. . Early-bird registration ends May 15.

The program aims to bridge the divide between research and practice by covering a comprehensive list of topics, including social services, therapy, elder law, social entrepreneurship, tech startups, music therapy, interior design, health care management, government, physical therapy, nursing, psychiatry, biological sciences, sociology and geriatric medicine.

The event will also include networking and professional growth opportunities.

Keynote speakers are:

• Hon. Andrew Beshear, JD, Kentucky Attorney General
• Bob Blancato, MPA, executive director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs
• Sandy Markwood, CEO, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging

Irving B. Perlstein Gerontology Lectureship

Also serving as keynote speakers are Gregory Jicha, professor, UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, and Christopher Callahan, director, IU Center for Aging Research. They will deliver the Irving B. Perlstein Gerontology Lectureship. Their focus will be on Alzheimer’s Disease.��

Dr. Perlstein was a member of the Medical Staff at Jewish Hospital during his career. He specialized in internal medicine and was recognized for his significant research on aging and thyroid dysfunction. He died in 1995 and this lectureship was created by his family as a living memorial to him and his commitment to his patients and healthcare.��

Additionally, former UofL and NBA basketball player Darrell Griffith, “Dr. Dunkenstein,” will serve as the event’s honorary chair and Optimal Aging catalyst during the event. Griffith will be introduced in the beginning of the conference.

Continuing education credit is available for a variety of professionals, including MDs, social workers, nurses and long-term care administrators.

The conference is June 11-13 at the Galt House Hotel on the Louisville waterfront. This conference is jointly hosted by the  and the .

For more information or to register, visit the  website.��