ASA Presents A National Forum on Brain Fitness
Wednesday, March 17 | 10:00am - 3:45pm
Fee: $35 for the first 300 registrants; $95 thereafter
(Pre-registration is required)
Attendees must be registered for the Aging in America Conference

Click here to download the form to add this program to your existing Aging in America registration!

The human brain has made its way onto the radar of the American psyche. Our recognition of thehuman brain as the most magnificent and complex system ever designed in the universe has unleashed a new understanding of the brain as both dynamic and heavily influenced by environmental input.Today, brain health has emerged as a significant field of study and arena for social application. This daylong program will feature the most recent scientific discoveries on maintaining the health and capability of the aging brain and discuss a variety of inputs that stimulate and help to extend brain functioning.

Co-Facilitated by Paul D. Nussbaum, PhD, Clinical Neuropsychologist and Adjunct Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Gary W. Small, MD, Parlow-Solomon Professor on Aging, Professor of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, Director, UCLA Center on Aging, Director, Memory & Aging Research Center, Director, Geriatric Psychiatry Division, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Participants in this national forum will:

  • Hear about the most recent research developments in brain research on neurogenesis and the potential for application among an aging population
  • Learn how the use of technology among late adopters may be altering and improving brain functioning
  • Gain insight from three MindAlert award winners who offer successful programs designed to effect mental fitness in older adults in diverse communities
  • Learn from experienced trainers using multiple approaches (theater, arts, technology) to achieve enhanced cognitive functions of adults in later life
  • Leave with information about what you can do tomorrow to begin to take better care of your brain

10:00-10:15 am
Welcome and Introductions

10:15-11:15 am
Brain Health in America: Update of a New Frontier

Paul NussbaumThe human brain remains the greatest and most complex system ever designed. While years of science have argued neurogenesis does not occur in humans, recent research indicates otherwise. If the human brain can generate new brain cells an entire new frontier of discovery and opportunity emerges. This presentation will discuss how the underlying insights from brain research have unleashed a broad application of brain health into diverse sectors of society. Future avenues for brain health promotion will also be proposed.

Presenter:  Paul D. Nussbaum, PhD

11:30 am - 12:30 pm     
Banishing the Senior Moment: New Technology and Lifestyle Choices to
Keep our Brains Young

Gary W. SmallNeuroimaging and other technologies are teaching us about how the brain ages and what we can do about it. Although memory declines as we age, medical and non-pharmacological strategies may protect brain health and improve memory performance. At the same time, innovation in digital technology is not only changing the way we live and communicate, it appears to be altering how our brains function. As a consequence of this high-tech stimulation, we are witnessing the beginning of a new form of the generation gap – a brain gap dividing younger digital natives, immersed in the technology early in life, from older digital immigrants, who adapt to the new technology more reluctantly. This lecture will describe this current pivotal point in brain evolution and how we can harness the new technology and lifestyle choices to improve memory and brain function so we can live better and longer.

Presenter: Gary W. Small, MD.

12:30-1:45 pm | Luncheon Presentation
Award Winners of the 2010 ASA-MetLife Foundation MindAlert Program

Now it is tenth year, this award was established to recognize outstanding, innovative, effective and accessible mental fitness programs designed for older adults living in diverse communities. Three 2010 Award recipients will present highlights of each winning program.

 

1:45-2:15 pm
Open Discussion and Dialogue with Presenters

This portion of the program is designed to encourage open questions and dialogue with all of the presenters. Paul Nussbaum, PhD and Gary Small, MD will co-facilitate a discussion ranging from science to application and the benefits to older adults.

2:15-3:30 pm
Research to Practice: Maintaining Cognitive Fitness in Older Adults
MindAlert Speakers Bureau panel presentations

The ASA-MetLife Foundation MindAlert Speakers Bureau trains professionals to implement cognitively stimulating programs for older adults in community settings.  Panelists are comprised of former winners who have an impressive track record of success in working successful with older adults.  This presentation will provide different perspectives on how cognition can be maintained through various approaches such as technology, social interaction and creativity.

Presenters:  Judith-Kate Friedman, Executive Director, Songwriting Works™; Darby Morhardt, MSW, LCSW, Northwestern University’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center; Jean F. Coppola, Associate Professor, Pace University; and Barbara A. Thomas, Assistant Professor, Westchester Community College.darby morhardtc f t

3:30-3:45 pm     
Summary and Concluding Statements

Co-Facilitators: Paul Nussbaum, PhD and Gary Small, MD

 

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