Maryland Living Well Center of Excellence

A Division of Maintaining Active Citizens

Dementia Series

Lunch & Learn Dementia Series 2025

The Lunch and Learn Series is offered the third Thursday of every month, from 12:15 to 1 pm. By registering –

  • Receive the monthly Zoom link to Lunch and Learn Dementia Series 2025

  • Webinar recordings of completed sessions

  • Resources recommended by Dementia Experts

Understanding the Non-Alzheimer’s dementias!

with Dr. Haroon Burhanullah, Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University
CLICK TO REGISTER FOR MAY 15

Johns Hopkins Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (JHGWEP) and MAC INC. Living Well Center of Excellence (LWCE) are pleased to announce our new professional development and community education monthly lunch and learn program titled “Ask the Dementia Expert” to help address this growing health crisis.

The “Ask the Dementia Expert” educational Lunch and Learn series is intended for Aging Services professionals, caregivers of persons living with ADRD, and anyone with an interest in matters concerning older adults. The series will provide an opportunity to engage a dementia expert on topics related to cognitive health, dementia care, caregiving, local services and support.

Webinar Title

MAY 15
Understanding the Non-Alzheimer's dementias!

Topic

  • What are other non-Alzheimer’s disease dementias including their pathology and how they present. (including vascular, Lewy Body, and frontotemporal dementia)
  • Are there treatments for these types of dementias?

Speaker

Haroon Burhanullah, MD is an Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins University. He received fellowship training from Johns Hopkins University. He works at the Memory and Alzheimer’s Treatment Center and oversees the operations of novel disease-modifying treatment, Anti amyloid therapies like Lecanemab in Alzheimer’s disease. He is also Director of Consultation Liaison service in the ED. He is currently serving as a steering committee member of the Perioperative and Cognition PIA of Alzheimer’s Association. Dr. Burhanullah is recipient of the National Institute of Aging award on the use of artificial intelligence in the management of delirium and its association with cognition. He is the author of several peer-reviewed articles published at various American Journals and a reviewer of internationally renowned journals.
 
 
 
 

Webinar Title

JUNE 19
Depression & Delirium-understanding the difference and how they may present in a person with dementia

Topic

  • How does depression present in older adults?
  • Can it be mistaken for dementia?
  • Can a person with dementia be depressed?
  • Is there a treatment?
  • What is delirium?
  • Is it hard to recognize in a person with dementia?
  • Is there treatment for delirium?

Speaker

Dr. Elizabeth Galik, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, is a nurse practitioner who specializes in improving care practices for older adults with dementia and their caregivers. Her externally funded research tests the impact of non-pharmacological interventions designed to optimize function and physical activity, improve mood, and manage behavioral symptoms among long-term care residents living with dementia. She also has expertise in the recruitment, retention, and measurement of cognitively impaired research participants, particularly involving the measurement of physical activity, using actigraphy. She has served as an expert advisor to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid’s national initiative to improve behavioral health and minimize the inappropriate use of antipsychotic medications among nursing home residents and hospitalized older adults with dementia.

Webinar Title

JULY 17
Managing Difficult Behaviors

Topic

 

  • What are common behaviors that are challenging when caring for someone with dementia? 

  • Can you provide tips for these behaviors to assist caregivers? 

  • Should you involve your healthcare team about these behaviors? 

  • Are medications helpful and if so what should caregivers be aware of?

 
 
 
 
 

Speaker

Ann Morrison PhD, RN
 

PAST EVENTS & RESOURCES

Webinar Title

APRIL 17
Parkinson's Disease and Dementia

Topic

Speaker

Dr. Howard Weiss is a neurologist in Baltimore, MD and is affiliated with Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Sinai Hospital of Baltimore. He received his medical degree from Northwestern University School of Medicine and residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Weiss has been in clinical practice since 1977, with special focus on Parkinson disease for the past 15 years. He is the author of numerous publications in peer reviewed journals and has won several prestigious teaching awards, including “teacher of the year” for the voluntary faculty at Johns Hopkins University Medical School in 2019. Dr. Weiss has received wide acclaim for his recently published “Parkinson Primer” which has been distributed free of charge to medical professionals around the world.
Dr. Weiss has retired from clinical practice in 2022, but is remaining active teaching and lecturing

Webinar Recording & Resources

Click to watch the webinar recording

Click to view the Powerpoint presentation

Click to view the Parkinson’s Primer

Webinar Title

MARCH 20
Impact of Hearing Loss on Cognition

Topic

  • Can you describe age related changes in hearing?
  • How does hearing loss impact cognition?
  • What are risk factors that impact hearing?
  • Does obtaining a hearing aide reverse changes?
  • What is the best way to have hearing evaluated?
  • Does dementia impact hearing?

Speaker

Dr. Nieman is an associate professor in the division of otology, neurotology and skull base surgery in the Johns Hopkins Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Her clinical practice is dedicated to the medical and surgical management of hearing loss and Eustachian tube disorders. Dr. Nieman’s research is directed at understanding and addressing hearing health disparities among older adults, particularly among vulnerable populations. Her work focuses on the development and implementation of innovative, community-delivered approached to affordable, accessible hearing care.
 
 
 
 

Webinar Recording & Resources

Click to watch webinar recording

Click to view Powerpoint presentation

Webinar Title

FEBRUARY 20
Promoting Brain Health

Topic

What are normal age changes in memory?

  • How does MCI fit in?
  • What actions can we take to promote brain health? (Including diet, physical activity, social engagement, brain games)
  • Does alcohol and cannabis impact brain health?
  • Should we take supplements such as vitamins, brain health supplements we see advertise?

Speaker

Dr. Jessica Colburn is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her area of clinical expertise is geriatric medicine. 

She earned her M.D. from University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and performed a fellowship in geriatric medicine and gerontology at Johns Hopkins.  

Dr. Colburn’s clinical and educational research is focused on primary care of older adults and teaching learners to care for older adults.

Webinar Recording & Resources

Click to watch webinar recording

Click to view powerpoint presentation

Webinar Title

JANUARY 16
Understanding the term dementia and how Alzheimer's disease fits in

Topic

  • What does it mean when you hear the term dementia?
  • What causes Alzheimer’s disease & what are risk factors, including is it hereditary?
  • Is there a specific test to diagnose it?
  • What is the progression of Alzheimer’s disease?

Speaker

Dr. Cynthia D. Fields, Assistant Professor

Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry Neuropsychiatry Expertise

Education
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Fellowship, Neuropsychiatry, 2010
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Fellowship, Geriatric Psychiatry, 2009
Tulane University School of Medicine, Residency, Psychiatry, 2008
University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Medical Education, MD, 2004

Resources