The equity assessment is a process used to examine organizational progress toward developing inclusive community goals. This workshop will provide participants with a framework and helpful tools to start this assessment and integrate it into ongoing quality improvement strategies.

Sheria Robinson-Lane, PhD, MSN, MHA, RN

Sheria G. Robinson-Lane, PhD, MSN, MHA, RN is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing in the Department of Systems, Populations, and Leadership, an Associate Director for the University of Michigan National Clinician Scholars Program (NCSP), and co-lead of the Research and Education Core of the Michigan Center for Contextual Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease (MCCFAD). Dr. Robinson-Lane is also affiliated with the Michigan Center for Alzheimer’s Disease (MADC) and the Michigan Center on the Demography of Aging (MiCDA). Dr. Robinson-Lane’s work aims to reduce health disparities, improve health equity, and optimize function for diverse older adults. Her research examines the structures, systems, and processes, that support active community living for older adults.

Understand an eye health assessment. Explore a variety of practical approaches to improve daily life for individuals with vision loss. Attendees will discover how simple changes to their environment and routines can boost independence, safety, and comfort, allowing for a more manageable and fulfilling lifestyle.

Vision Forward

For over 105 years, Vision Forward has been serving people of all ages impacted by visual impairments in Wisconsin. We understand vision loss, whether it’s from macular degeneration, glaucoma or other eye diseases, and that each person’s vision is unique. Our skilled, compassionate team of certified staff offers training, technology, and support to help with daily tasks and learning to live successfully with vision loss.

Advance directives are a vital tool in ensuring that an individual's values, preferences, and wishes are respected and followed if they become unable to make medical decisions for themselves. This talk will explore the importance of advance directives, the benefits they bring to patients, families, and healthcare providers, and the steps to create and implement them effectively.

Key discussion points will include:

• The definition and purpose of advance directives
• Types of advance directives (e.g., living will,  durable power of attorney)
• Why advance directives are crucial in end-of-life care
• How to discuss advance directives with your loved ones
• Best practices for creating and updating advance directives

Takeaways:

• Understand the importance of advance directives in ensuring you receive the care you want
• Learn how to create and implement advance directives effectively
• Discuss advance directives with your provider to promote informed decision-making
• Recognize the benefits of advance directives, including reduced anxiety, and better alignment with your values and preferences.

This talk aims to empower individuals to prioritize advance directives as a vital aspect of end-of-life care, promoting autonomy, dignity, and respect for individual wishes.

Rita Hagen, MSN, RN, Hospice Alliance

Rita Hagen, MSN, RN has been the Executive Director of Hospice Alliance since 2012 and provides leadership and strategic direction for Hospice Alliance’s hospice and supportive/palliative care management programs. She brings with her 40 years of healthcare experience, with more than 25 of those being in Leadership roles in Kenosha/Racine. Rita serves on the Wisconsin Hospice and Palliative Care Association (WiHPCA) board and chairs their Advocacy Committee. She is an active member of the Kenosha Long Term Care Alliance, serving as the chair, as well Kenosha Care Transitions and leads their Advance Directive workgroup, which sponsors an annual National Healthcare Decision Day event. She is a member of the Italian American Ladies Auxiliary, Tempo Kenosha (Past President), The Kenosha Rotary Club (Past President), Readers are Leaders Tutor, Wisconsin Nurse Honor Guard, and is a KABA/KUSD mentor. Rita is also a member of the Gateway Technical College Nursing Advisory Council. Rita enjoys spending any/all free time with her family - especially her 4 grandchildren.

Professionals working in the dementia field will be able to gain understanding of the successful programming that both the Bilingual Dementia Care Specialist in the ADRC of Milwaukee County and the Hispanic Health Resource Center have accomplished in the Latino caregiving community. Both groups will inform of the strategies, programs and lessons learned while implementing these and other programming. During this session, you will also learn the importance and how to engage with Latino caregivers to maximize connection.

Cristina Huitron, MSW, Milwaukee County ADRC

Cristina Huitron is a Bilingual Dementia Care Specialist (DCS) for the Milwaukee County DHHS Aging and Disabilities Services. She has been a DCS for almost 5 years. Cristina is a support for people with dementia and their families and/or caregivers. Cristina provides support during her care consultation, helps plan care for people with dementia, provides memory screening and informs caregivers about available resources.  As a DCS, she also provides community presentations to help Milwaukee County community members learn about dementia, inform about the importance of getting an early and appropriate diagnosis, informs about support and resources available to the person living with dementia and his/her caregiver. Cristina's focus has a focus of reaching and providing support to underserved populations. Cristina has her master’s in social work, which she acquired from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. 

All medication has its time and place, but Drug Nutrient Depletion can lead to many uncomfortable side effects. Not only can correcting this nutrient loss improve how you or a patient feels with meds but this change to a positive wellbeing can lead to all around better medication adherence.

Sunday Muniz, Family Strong Wellness

Sunday Muniz has been a wellness focused voice in the Racine/Kenosha area for over 25 years. A personal need for better health and wellbeing, mixed with questioning the accepted norm lead to a career of helping others with true positive health changes. Sunday is the current owner or Family Strong Wellness in Mount Pleasant, WI.

As we age, maintaining cognitive function becomes increasingly important for overall well-being and quality of life. In this engaging and interactive session, we’ll explore the latest scientific research on brain health and provide practical, evidence-based strategies to help keep your mind sharp. 

Amanda Cook Maher, PhD

Dr. Amanda Maher is an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan in the Department of Psychiatry. She completed her graduate training in clinical psychology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychology at the University of Michigan. Dr. Maher’s research focuses on successful cognitive aging and early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders using a multidisciplinary lens. Most relevant for today’s presentation on cognitive ‘SuperAgers,’ Dr. Maher is intricately involved with the SuperAging Research Initiative, a multisite, longitudinal research study funded by the NIH that is investigating factors contributing to successful memory aging in adults age 80 and older. Dr. Maher serves as a co-lead for the SuperAging Research Initiative’s Clinical Core and as the PI for the University of Michigan SuperAging site, where they continue to recruit, enroll, and study these remarkable older adults. Dr. Maher is also a co-investigator at the Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and member of their Leader Initiative, with her ‘non-SuperAging’ research work focusing on early detection of cognitive decline.

In this session, we will discuss how exercise can be a powerful tool in promoting overall health, improving balance, and managing or preventing chronic diseases in seniors. We will explore the importance of staying active as we age, highlighting how regular physical activity can reduce the risk of conditions like heart disease, diabetes and arthritis, while also improving mobility and independence. 

We will also introduce a variety of fitness programs tailored for seniors of all levels, including low-impact exercises that can be easily incorporated into daily life. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how they can integrate exercise into their routines, no matter their fitness level, to support healthier aging and enhance their quality of life. Theis session aims to empower seniors with the knowledge and tools to make exercise a sustainable part of their wellness journey. 

Mathias Werve, Racine County YMCA

Mathias Werve is the Healthy Living Director at the Racine Family YMCA and a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) and Group Fitness Instructor. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Education (BSE) in Health, Human Performance, and Recreation from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, with a minor in Health Promotions. Mathias has earned several certifications, including ISSA Personal Trainer (CPT), YUSA Group Exercise, Strength and Conditioning, Livestrong, and Enhance Fitness, as well as Silver Sneakers certifications in Foundations, Classic, Falls Prevention, and Nutrition for Optimal Aging. He is also trained in Parkinson’s exercise programs through the Brian Grant Foundation, including Exercise for Parkinson’s, Modifying Exercise for Parkinson’s, and as a Parkinson’s Cycling Coach.

A former college athlete and brain tumor survivor, Mathias has dedicated over 10 years to personal training and group fitness instruction. Throughout his career, he has worked with a wide range of individuals, from athletes to cancer survivors (Livestrong), those with Parkinson’s disease, seniors, and the general population. Fitness, health, and wellness have been central to his life, and he is passionate about helping others achieve their fitness goals and live healthier lives.

Learn about research in the area of diet, exercise, cognitive activity and social engagement. Learn how to incorporate these recommendations into a plan for healthy aging.

Virginia Zerpa, Alzheimer's Association of Wisconsin

Virginia Zerpa is a native of Venezuela and has lived in the United States since 1981, gaining citizenship in 1997. She attained a master’s degree in public health in 1997 and has worked in diverse public health issues since then. She joined the Alzheimer’s Association in 2011 providing care consultations and skilled-based education to families impacted by dementia as well as awareness education to the general public. Prior to joining the Alzheimer's Association team, she worked at the City of Milwaukee Health Department in the Childhood Poisoning Prevention Program, at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin in the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, Sixteenth Street Community Health Center addressing childhood obesity and the Urban Population Health Center assisting in various community-based research projects.

All medication has its time and place, but Drug Nutrient Depletion can lead to many uncomfortable side effects. Not only can correcting this nutrient loss improve how you or a patient feels with meds but this change to a positive wellbeing can lead to all around better medication adherence.

Sunday Muniz, Family Strong Wellness

Sunday Muniz has been a wellness focused voice in the Racine/Kenosha area for over 25 years. A personal need for better health and wellbeing, mixed with questioning the accepted norm lead to a career of helping others with true positive health changes. Sunday is the current owner or Family Strong Wellness in Mount Pleasant, WI.

For this session, we will share how to foster an inclusive voluntary personal storytelling experience in a brave space to serve as the catalyst for understanding individuals' backgrounds and providing an open forum for collaboration. This inclusive strategy can foster emotional and psychological awareness, allowing for self-reflection, empathy, and support for one another while empowering the storyteller.

 Tammy Lis MSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC, CCRN, NPD-BC

  Christina Hildebrand MSN, RN, NPD-BC

 Elizabeth Ross MSN, RN, NPD-BC

Liz Ross supports the Midwest division of Advocate Health within a centralized Nursing Education and Professional Development department. Her role spans multiple workstreams across the enterprise, allowing her to collaborate with diverse teams and initiatives to support nursing education and professional growth. 

Tammy Lis is a Nursing Professional Development Specialist at Advocate Health. She is dedicated to advancing nursing practices and fostering professional growth within the healthcare community. Tammy plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of nursing education and development through her work in the clinical affiliations, competency and ECG workstreams.

Chriss Hildebrand is a Nursing Professional Development System Specialist for Advocate Health focusing on Clinical Affiliations with post licensure students. Chriss obtained her BSN from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and her Masters in Forensic Nursing from Fitchburg State University. She worked for 15 years in Abuse Response Services as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and 12yrs as a Pediatric ER nurse at a Level 1 trauma center. Chriss has always been passionate about fostering growth and education in herself and the next generation of nurses, thus leading her to shift her focus to Nursing Professional Development in 2016 where she worked as part of the Nurse Residency Coordination team for several years before shifting to her current focus. Chriss continues to expand her knowledge and earned her Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Certificate in 2024.