Thank you for joining us at the Maine Wisdom Summit!

Morning Session

9:00-9:15        Welcome & Opening Remarks
Jess Maurer, Executive Director, Maine Council on Aging
Don Harden, MCOA Board Vice Chair & Power in Aging Project Manager
Gabe Martinez, Director, FQHC Champion & Community Engagement UnitedHealthcare 

9:15-10:00      Keynote: Aging, Ageism & the Future of Elderhood
Louise Aronson, MD, MFA
Exclusive Keynote Sponsor: UnitedHealthcare

10:00-10:15    Wellness Break
Presentation by: Anna Guest, Agewell Program Manager, SMAA
Sponsored by: Town and Country Federal Credit Union

10:15-11:25    Panel Presentation – Transforming Age-Bias into Age-Positive
Greg Kesich, Editorial Page Editor, Portland Press Herald
Laura Lee, Director of Grantmaking, Maine Community Foundation
Diana Leblanc, Chair, Maine Diversity in Hiring Coalition
Representative Michele Meyer, Chair, Health & Human Services Committee
Rebecca Spear, DO, Medical Director, Inpatient Geriatric Consult Service

11:25-11:55    Breakout Discussions – What Will You Do to Make ME Age-Positive?

11:55-12:00    Closing Presentation
Don Harden, MCOA Board Vice Chair & Power in Aging Project Manager

Lunch Break

12:00-12:20    Live Exhibitor Lunch & Learn
Featured Exhibitor Presentations
Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice, GT Independence, Senscio Systems

Afternoon Session

1:00-1:10        Welcome (Back) & Opening Remarks
Jess Maurer, Executive Director, Maine Council on Aging
Joy Baressi-Saucier, Executive Director, Aroostook Area Agency on Aging                       

1:10-1:50         Empowerment and Inclusion of Older People for Value Based Design
Emi Kiyota, PhD, Environmental Gerontologist, founder of Ibasho

1:50-2:20        The Future of Housing in Maine
Dan Brennan, Director, MaineHousing

2:20-2:35        Wellness Break
Presentation by: Maija Dyke, Contract & Business Manager, HL4ME
Sponsored by: Volunteers of America Northern New England

2:35-3:35        Panel Presentation – Rethinking Housing in Maine – What will it take?
Vanessa Farr, Senior Planner, Greater Portland Council of Governments
Dana Totman, President & CEO, Avesta Housing
Kara Wilbur, CNU, Director, Principle Group

3:35-3:55        Awards Ceremony   
Exclusive Awards Sponsor: Androscoggin Home Health Care + Hospice

3:55-4:00        Closing Comments

Pre-Summit Session: September 14, 2021 | 9AM to 12PM

Embracing Job Quality for Maine’s Essential Support Workforce

Essential support workers are the paid backbone support for tens of thousands of older Mainers, people living with disabilities, and those with behavioral health challenges.  Yet, thousands more Mainers are going without support because there are not enough workers to meet demand.  The Report of the Commission to Study Long Term Care Workforce Issues has created a clear pathway toward growing this workforce.  We are making steady progress on implementing some of the recommendations, including increasing wages.  Particularly in light of COVID and our workforce shortage, we must focus now on job quality.  The Five Pillars of Quality for these jobs has been described as access to quality training, fair compensation, quality supervision and support, respect and recognition, and real opportunity.  This session will focus on what’s working, or in the works, to grow a resilient Essential Support Workforce in Maine, and to build quality into these jobs.

9:00-9:10am               Welcome
Jess Maurer, Executive Director, Maine Council on Aging

9:10-10:00am             Growing Maine’s Essential Support Workforce – What’s in the Works?
Joy Gould, Manager of Healthcare Workforce Development, DHHS
Kimberley Moore, Director of Employment Services, MDOL
Paul Saucier, Director, DHHS Office of Aging & Disability Services

10:00-10:40am           Building Quality into the Essential Support Workforce – What’s Working?
Robert Espinoza, Vice President of Policy, PHI

10:40-10:55am           Wellness Break
Presentation by: Jennifer Fortin, Training & Fidelity Manager, HL4ME
Sponsored by: John T. Gorman Foundation

10:55:-11:25am         Shared Learning Discussions

11:25-11:40am           Report-out:  What’s our Collective Best Thinking?

11:40-11:50am           Innovation Spotlight – A Helping Voice
Stuart Lewis, MD, FACP, Associate Professor of Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth, Division of Geriatrics and Primary Care

11:50am                     Closing Comments

12:00pm                     Live Exhibitor Lunch and Learn

Pre-Summit Session: September 7, 2021 | 9AM to 12PM

Embracing Trends & Advances in Technology & Information Sharing to Support Healthy Aging

COVID-19 has busted many stereotypes about older people and technology.  The truth is, older Mainers, just like everyone else, are on a continuum of comfort when it comes to using and keeping up with new technology.  This session will explore ways providers of all types are now using technology to support the health and social health needs of older Mainers, and how they’re building new systems to share information to support better health. We’ll also share ways you can help move the needle on broadband and technology in Maine.

9:00-9:10am               Welcome & A Little Inspiration – A Day in the Life of Alexa
Jess Maurer, Executive Director, Maine Council on Aging
Jean Saunders, Age Friendly Saco

9:10-9:40am               Increasing Maine’s Capacity to Share Information on Social Health Needs
Chad MacLeod, Director of Product & Communication, HealthInfoNet

9:40-10:20am             Panel: Advances in Using Technology to Meet Social Health Needs
Ellen Freedman, Program Manager, Community Health Improvement, MaineHealth
Maija Dyke, Contract & Business Manager, Healthy Living for ME
Melinda Lovering, Manager of Virtual Health, Androscoggin Home Healthcare & Hospice

10:20-10:35am           Wellness Break        
Presentation by: Anna Guest, Agewell Program Manager, SMAA
Sponsored by: AgingME Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP)

10:35-11:20am           Panel: Advances in Using Technology to Support Health & Behavioral Health
Mike Charley, EVP & COO, Senscio Systems, Inc.
Rachael Follansbee, Program Clinical Supervisor, Tri-County Mental Health Services
Jennifer Fogel, VP, Nursing Clinical Informatics Officer, Northern Light
Leigh Ann Howard, AVP Home Health, Northern Light Home Care & Hospice

11:20-11:30                Using Technology to Build Empathy in Health Professionals
Marilyn Gugliucci, MA, PhD, Professor & Director Geriatrics Research, UNECOM

11:30-11:45am           Closing Discussion:  Advocacy Opportunities on Broadband & Technology
Nancy Smith, Executive Director, GrowSmart Maine

11:45am         Live Exhibitor Lunch and Learn