The Dementia Journey

Now What?

Air Date: 11/10/2016

The Dementia Journey discusses eldercare issues that arise after a patient has been diagnosed with Dementia. The topics include, but are not limited to, services for eldercare, financial and estate issues, living wills, power of attorney and understanding Medicare and Medicaid.

Panel of Experts

Doctor Anna Fisher
Dr. Anna Fisher, Host

Dr. Anna Fisher serves as the Hillcrest Health Systems health, quality, and nursing services education expert. She is responsible for the implementation of educational and quality improvement programs following the identification of clinical and non-clinical needs, competency exams, and supporting the need for high quality of care for diverse business lines that include assisted living, memory support, adult day services, home health care, palliative, hospice, post-acute, and skilled nursing care.

Dr. Fisher is also an adjunct professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at Bellevue University and teaches in the Masters-Health Administration Program. She was awarded the prestigious Maenner Award for Professorship of the Year in 2012.

Dr. Fisher is currently President of the Consortium of Dementia Alternatives and President of the Montessori International School of the Plains. She is a certified dementia practitioner, licensed nurse, and holds an undergraduate degree in human resources, graduate degree in business management, and a doctorate in health administration.

Helen Crunk

Helen Crunk has 15 years nursing experience in long-term care settings. She is an Administrator of memory support assisted living facilities at Hillcrest Health Systems. Helen is a certified dementia practitioner and dementia care expert who is responsible for all team member education regarding dementia care best practice standards.

Helen Crunk holds numerous board and committee positions that include: President of Nebraska Assisted Living Association; Nebraska Health Care Association Executive Board Member; Nebraska Health Care Foundation Board Member; National Center for Assisted Living Board Member; National Center for Assisted Living Quality Committee Member; National Center for Assisted Living Policy and Finance Committee Member; National Center for Assisted Living State Leader; Secretary of Nebraska Health Care Foundation Board; and Bellevue Young Professional Group.

Helen Crunk is a recipient of the National Administrator of the Year awarded by National Center for Center for Assisted Living; 2010 Bellevue, NE Business Woman of the Year; and a 2011 recipient of the Midlands Business Journal 40 under 40 award.

Ralph Peppard

Ralph Peppard is an attorney at law and has been practicing general civil litigation for the past 30 years in Omaha, Nebraska. Ralph practices primarily in domestic law, elder law, and estate planning. Ralph’s board and committee involvement include: Founding member, Chapter Vice President, Member of Board of Directors of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association of Omaha; Alzheimer’s Association-Midlands Chapter Public Policy Committee Member; Participant, Legal Services/Lawyer Referral Program, Nebraska State Bar Association, and Omaha Bar Association.

Ralph is the recipient of the Robert M. Spire Pro Bono Award presented by the Nebraska State Bar Association and recipient of the Jefferson Award sponsored by the American Institute of Public Services and KETV Channel 7, Omaha, Nebraska for community service.

Ralph has a Juris Doctor from Creighton University School of Law, Masters of Business Management, from University of Nebraska at Lincoln, and Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from Bowling Green State University.

Diane Hendricks.jpg

Diane Hendricks currently serves as a Certified Master Social Worker and Licensed Mental Health Practitioner for UNMC Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, contracted to the Alzheimer’s Association Midlands Chapter for Care Consults, and a Level II Educator. Diane is a Clinical Intake Coordinator and has over 30 years of health care experience in a variety of settings serving older adults.

Her past experience as a social work/recreation consultant for a large long-term care corporation for over 14 years and as a hospice social worker for 13 years has allowed her to gain an understanding of the complexity of older adults with emphasis on dementia and how psychosocial issues impact all aspects of their well-being including the caregiver. For over eight years, she was an Adjunct Professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, College of Public Affairs, teaching the hospice course and involved in the community with contributions to a number of organizations serving the older adult.  She has presented nationally and internationally on a variety of subjects including Grief, Adult Bereavement, Obtaining a Dignified Dementia Diagnosis, End of Life Care, Communications/Difficult Mood and Behaviors, Needs of the Early Onset Dementia Individual, Frail Elderly, and Interdisciplinary Teams Approach in Transitional Care.



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