DeWolf Innovation Center Annual Forum
The Annual Forum is an invitation-only event hosted by the DeWolf Innovation Center for Aging and Dementia of Mercy.
Each year, we convene national experts, healthcare professionals, researchers, and advocates to explore the latest strategies and innovations in aging and dementia. Attendees engage with thought leaders on a wide range of topics as we seek to learn, collaborate, and improve the landscape for aging and dementia.
“The Forum not only connects us with national thought leaders, it also serves as a platform to continue reducing stigma and stereotypes for older adults, caregivers, and people living with dementia. When we eliminate these barriers, opportunities become more abundant.”
– Forum Participant
Featured Speakers:
Dr. Jennifer Carson, PhD
Clinical Associate Professor and Founding Director of the Dementia Engagement, Education & Research (DEER) Program at the University of Nevada, Reno
Dr. Gayatri Devi, MD, MS, FACP
Director, Park Avenue Neurology | Clinical Professor of Neurology & Psychiatry, Zucker School of Medicine | Author
Dr. Anne Basting, PhD
Writer | Artist | Author | Founder of TimeSlips.org | Emerita Professor of English, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
The forum will also feature two panel discussions, a presentation from Casey Stephens of HallMar Village, a series of mindful movements with Kristen Kuch, and a demonstration of ElliQ — an AI-assisted companion robot.
Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors:
Angie & Roger Baker
Barb Young
In-person attendance is by invitation only. To learn more about the forum and how to participate, please call the DeWolf Innovation Center at (319) 784-9200.
Past Speakers
The Annual Forum has welcomed a diverse lineup of nationally recognized experts, thought leaders, and innovators in aging and dementia-related care.
- Bradley Schurman – author of "The Super Age: Decoding Our Demographic Destiny"
- Judy Cornish – author of "The Dementia Handbook & Dementia with Dignity"
- Daphne Johnston – author of "Reclaiming Joy Together: Building a Volunteer Community of Real Hope for Those with Dementia"
- Karen Love - founder of the Dementia Action Alliance and facilitator of "Pathways to Well-Being with Dementia: A Manual of Help, Hope and Inspiration"
- Yogesh Shah, MD, MPH, FAAFP – Memory Care, Broadlawns Medical Center, Des Moines, Iowa
- Rev. Jonathan Whitfield - Pastor, Corinthian Baptist Church, Des Moines, Iowa
- Daejin Kim, PhD, EDAC, CAPS, LEED Associate – Assistant Professor, Department of Interior Design, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
- Jeremy Nobel – author of "Project UnLonely: Healing Our Crisis of Disconnection"
- Ellen Szabo – founder of Szabo Creative Consulting, Gloucester, Massachusetts
- Dr. Rajeev Ramchand - RAND Corporation
- Terri & John Hale – The Hale Group, Ankeny, Iowa
- Paula Muller, PhD – founder of CareLink 360®, Flemington, New Jersey
2024 Annual Forum
Life Changing Designs: Forging a New Future For Aging & Dementia
The 2024 Forum took place on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, at the DeWolf Innovation Center in Cedar Rapids. View recordings of the speaker presentations below.
