Supporting Healthy Aging Conference

May 15, 2025, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Sequoia Conference Center, Eureka CA

Presented by Adult Day Health & Alzheimer’s Services, a program of the Humboldt Senior Resource Center

Program Co-Chairs:  Samantha Day, DSW, LCSW and Tim Haskett, GNP

Conference Description

The Supporting Healthy Aging Conference is a one-day, in-person event designed to explore the many dimensions of aging well — physically, cognitively, socially, and systemically — within the unique context of Humboldt County. Building on the legacy of HSRC’s long-running Dementia Care Conference, this expanded gathering invites older adults, caregivers, professionals, students, and community members into a shared learning space focused on connection, access, and empowerment.

Through engaging presentations, interactive discussions, and local panel insights, the conference explores four key focus areas: The Building Blocks of Healthy Aging, Sustaining Brain Health, Empowering Your Health Care Journey, and How Can We Influence Healthcare Delivery in Humboldt?

With a blend of evidence-based strategies, lived experience, and practical tools, this event offers actionable insights for individuals, families, and communities committed to supporting healthy aging — both now and for generations to come.

Conference Goals

  1. Promote a holistic understanding of healthy aging, encompassing physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well-being.
  2. Equip attendees with practical tools and strategies to support aging well at the individual, family, and community levels.
  3. Foster awareness of the unique challenges and strengths of aging in a rural community.
  4. Encourage cross-sector collaboration and community engagement to improve aging outcomes across Humboldt County.

Conference Learning Objectives

  1. Describe at least three (3) key factors that contribute to healthy aging across the lifespan.
  2. Identify two (2) or more strategies for supporting brain health and reducing dementia risk.
  3. List three (3) tools or actions individuals can use to better navigate the healthcare system.
  4. List at least two (2) local challenges affecting access to care and aging services in Humboldt County.
  5. Name at least one (1) way individuals or communities can contribute to supporting healthy aging in their region.

  

Supporting Healthy Aging Conference Agenda

 

8:00 – 8:45 am:  Registration and Exhibitor Fair

8:45 – 9:00 am:  Welcome and Introductions – Samantha Day, DSW, LCSW

 

Focus:  The Building Blocks of Healthy Aging

9:00– 9:45 am:  Aging Well Together:  The Power of Social Connection and Purpose – Samantha Day, DSW, LCSW 

Aging well isn’t just about physical health—it’s deeply rooted in our relationships, sense of purpose, and place in the community. This session will explore how social connection and purpose serve as powerful drivers of health, resilience, and well-being across the lifespan. Attendees will learn why these factors matter and how individuals, families, and communities can foster connection and purpose at every stage of life to support healthy aging for all.

Session Goals:

  1. Highlight the essential role of social connection and purpose in promoting holistic well-being and healthy aging.
  2. Encourage a lifespan perspective, showing how early, middle, and later life are all critical windows for developing and sustaining these protective factors.
  3. Inspire action by offering tangible ways individuals, communities, and systems can cultivate connection and purpose in everyday life.

Session Learning Objectives:

  1. Describe three (3) evidence-based benefits of social connection and purpose for physical, cognitive, and emotional health in aging.
  2. Identify three (3) key strategies to promote connection and purpose at the individual, family, and community level.
  3. Recognize common barriers to social connection or purpose in older adulthood and list at least two (2) strategies to address them.

 

9:45 – 10:30 am:  Keep Moving, Keep Thriving: The Role of Physical Activity in Aging Well – Brittany Gribbin, DPT, PT

As we age, staying active isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. This session explores how strength training, balance, and endurance form the foundation for healthy aging, helping to maintain independence, reduce fall risk, and improve overall quality of life. Participants will learn about physiological changes that occur with aging, the risks of a sedentary lifestyle, and the positive effects of regular physical activity on both the body and brain. The session will also review current exercise guidelines for older adults and provide practical strategies for integrating movement into everyday life.

Session Goals:

  1. Explain the key physiological changes of aging and how physical activity can slow or improve these effects.
  2. Promote strength, balance, and endurance training as essential components of aging well.
  3. Encourage safe, effective, and evidence-based physical activity for older adults across abilities.

Session Learning Objectives:

  1. Describe three (3) age-related changes in muscle mass, bone density, and balance, and how exercise addresses these changes.
  2. Identify three (3) risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle and the health benefits of regular physical activity in older adulthood.
  3. Identify at least two (2) national guidelines for strength, balance, or endurance training, and describe one (1) way each can be applied in a practical or accessible setting for older adults.

 

10:30 – 10:45 am:  Break           Refreshments are available in the Lobby

 

Focus:  Sustaining Brain Health

10:45 – 11:30 am:  How to Maintain Optimal Brain Health – Andrew Levine, PhD   

As we grow older, maintaining brain health becomes an increasingly important part of aging well. This session will explore evidence-based strategies that may support cognitive function and reduce the risk of dementia. Participants will gain a clearer understanding of the science behind brain health while also examining the limitations of current research and the complexity of interpreting studies in this field. With a focus on accessibility and realistic application, this session empowers attendees to make informed choices that support brain health across the lifespan.

Session Goals:

  1. Provide an overview of current science related to brain health and dementia prevention.
  2. Promote practical, accessible strategies that individuals can use to support cognitive wellness.
  3. Foster critical thinking around how recommendations are formed and communicated.

Session Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify at least three (3) strategies that support optimal brain health.
  2. Identify at least two (2) evidence-based findings related to brain health or dementia risk reduction from current scientific literature.
  3. Discuss at least two (2) limitations of existing studies that explore lifestyle-based dementia prevention.

 

11:30 – 12:15 pm: What’s New in Dementia, from Diagnosis to Treatments – Celeste Sayles-Croy, DO

The landscape of dementia care is evolving rapidly — but what do the latest developments mean for people living with dementia and those who care for them? In this session, participants will receive a concise overview of new diagnostic tools, screening methods, and biomarkers, including advances in blood and CSF testing. While recent pharmacologic treatments — like amyloid-targeting therapies — will be briefly discussed, the primary focus will be on evidence-based, person-centered approaches that improve daily life and care experiences. Topics will include the role of comprehensive care within age-friendly health systems, the value of supportive services, and the importance of caregiver education, empowerment, and burnout prevention.

Session Goals:

  1. Highlight key advancements in dementia diagnosis and care, including new tools and evolving approaches.
  2. Shift the focus toward what truly improves quality of life for individuals with dementia and their care partners.
  3. Promote compassionate, comprehensive, and practical strategies for care across settings.

Session Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify two (2) recent developments in dementia screening and diagnosis, including emerging biomarker technologies.
  2. Describe three (3) components of comprehensive, age-friendly dementia care that support both individuals living with dementia and their caregivers.
  3. Describe two (2) effective strategies for caregiver support, education, and burnout prevention within dementia care systems.

 

12:15 – 1:15 pm:  Lunch and Networking                Lunch is served in the Lobby

Focus:  Empowering Your Healthcare Journey

1:15 – 1:45 pm:  Current Challenges in Rural Health Care Delivery and Access – Bruce Kessler, MD

Rural communities across the country — and especially in regions like Humboldt County — face persistent challenges in delivering accessible, high-quality health care. This session will explore the most pressing barriers affecting rural health today, including provider shortages, geographic isolation, transportation gaps, limited specialty care, and structural inequities. Through both national data and local context, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the root causes of rural health disparities.

Session Goals: 

  1. Increase understanding of the unique health care experiences of individuals living in rural communities like Humboldt County.
  2. Build awareness of the historical and regional context shaping rural health care access and delivery.
  3. Highlight the local consequences of national and regional trends in rural health care.

Session Learning Objectives:

  1. Describe two (2) key barriers to effective health care delivery in rural areas.
  2. Explain two (2) ways these barriers affect care outcomes and contribute to disparities in rural populations.
  3. Summarize the impact of at least one (1) national or local trend on health care access and delivery in Humboldt County.

 

1:45 – 2:15 pm:  How to Navigate Your Healthcare Journey – Sacha Hall, PA

The modern healthcare system can be overwhelming — especially for older adults and caregivers trying to manage complex needs, referrals, and follow-ups. This session will equip attendees with practical tools and advocacy strategies to take charge of their own healthcare journey. From asking the right questions to organizing information and preventing things from slipping through the cracks, participants will leave more confident in their ability to communicate effectively with providers, understand their options, and make informed decisions about their care.

Session Goals:

  1. Empower individuals to be active participants in their health care through effective communication and self-advocacy.
  2. Provide clear, accessible tools to help patients manage appointments, information, and follow-through.
  3. Encourage confidence and clarity in navigating a complex and often fragmented system.

Session Learning Objectives:

  1. List at least three (3) key questions to ask during a medical appointment to support informed decision-making.
  2. Identify two (2) tools or strategies for organizing health information and follow-up care.
  3. Describe at least two (2) self-advocacy skills that can help prevent miscommunication or gaps in care.

 

2:15– 2:45 pm:   Help!  Where’s My Medical Care? – Tim Haskett, GNP

For many older adults in rural communities like Humboldt County, accessing timely and appropriate medical care can feel like an impossible journey — sometimes quite literally. From traveling 5 to 6 hours for specialty appointments to navigating long waitlists and provider shortages, rural residents face unique and often invisible barriers to receiving the care they need. This session will offer a real-world look at both the challenges and bright spots of navigating healthcare as an aging person in Humboldt County.

Session Goals: 

  1. Illustrate the realities and complexities of accessing medical care as an aging person in rural Humboldt County.
  2. Promote awareness of available local services and evolving system changes in our regional healthcare landscape.
  3. Inspire community-level engagement and advocacy to strengthen local healthcare access and delivery.

 Session Learning Objectives: 

  1. List at least three (3) major barriers older adults face when accessing timely medical care in rural Humboldt County.
  2. Identify at least two (2) local healthcare resources or programs that support aging adults and reduce travel burden for care.
  3. Describe at least two (2) individual or community actions that can improve access to care or influence positive health system change.

 

2:45 – 3:00 pm:  Break

Refreshments are available in the Lobby

 

Focus: How Can We Influence Healthcare Delivery in Humboldt?

3:00 – 3:15 pm: Panel Overview and Goals – Peter Pennekamp

 3:15 – 4:15 pm:   Panel: A Call to Action — Improving Healthcare Delivery and Access in Humboldt County – Gregg Foster, RREDC; Bruce Kessler, MD; Peter Pennekamp; Kim Perris, DNP, RN; Sacha Hall, PAC; Elizabeth Lara-O’Rourke, MA.  Moderator:  Tim Haskett, GNP

Health care in Humboldt County has been impacted and we all have a role to play in shaping its future. This dynamic panel brings together influential local professionals across local systems for a collaborative, solutions-focused conversation on the challenges — and opportunities — facing rural healthcare delivery. Guided by targeted questions, this discussion will spotlight actionable ideas and inspire attendees to consider how individuals, families, organizations, and communities can all contribute to building a more resilient, sustainable healthcare system.

Session Goals: 

  1. Foster a cross-sector conversation about the key challenges affecting healthcare access and delivery in Humboldt County.
  2. Highlight local leadership and innovation in addressing rural health system needs.
  3. Inspire attendees to recognize their own power and potential to influence change at the individual, organizational, and community level.

Session Learning Objectives: 

  1. Name three (3) key local challenges related to healthcare access and delivery in rural Humboldt County.
  2. Describe three (3) strategies or initiatives discussed by panelists that aim to address these challenges and improve rural health outcomes.
  3. Identify one (1) concrete action attendees can take to support healthcare improvements in Humboldt County.

 

4:15 – 4:45 pm:   Question and Answer Session

 

4:45 – 5:00 pm:   Closing Comments – Samantha Day, DSW, LCSW

Conference schedule and speakers subject to change without notice.

Conference Registration Information

The course fee is $85 per person, including onsite on the day of the event. Registration is payable online via credit card; if a check payment is necessary, please call 707-443-9747 for assistance.

The course fee includes program materials and lunch. Continuing Education Credit will be provided at no additional cost to all attendees requesting it.

There are a limited number of lower-cost scholarship registration slots available for the conference.  To be eligible for the reduced scholarship rate of $55, the attendee:

  • Must be a community member or family caregiver and not a staff member of a local organization or healthcare provider
  • Must commit to attending the full course
  • Cannot request Continuing Education Credit for attending the conference

Please call 707-443-9747 and ask to speak with either Samantha Day (x3203) or Tammy Peterson (x3236) if interested in one of these scholarship opportunities.

Refund policy: A full refund minus a $10 administrative fee will be given for cancellation requests received on or before May 5, 2025. There is no refund for cancellations received on or after May 5, 2025. However, individuals who have preregistered with full payment, but are unable to attend, may send a substitute to attend the program. We must be notified in writing of the substitute’s name and complete registration information by May 13, 2025.

 

Continuing Education Credit

This course meets the qualifications for 6.00 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.

Alzheimer’s Association California Chapters is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (Provider #63035) to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs.  Alzheimer’s Association California Chapters maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content.

Registered Nurse (RN) and Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN): Approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (Provider #CEP12415).

Certificates of Completion will be emailed within 1-2 weeks after participants submit a course evaluation form.

Should you require special accommodations, please contact HSRC at events@humsenior.org or 707-443-9747  so we can fulfill your needs. To submit a grievance regarding the course, please contact Claire Day (cday@alz.org), Alzheimer’s Association and we will respond within 72 hours.

We Thank Our Conference Sponsors

Alzheimer’s Association

Area 1 Agency on Aging

Elite Caregivers

Partnership HealthPlan of California

Redwood Caregiver Resource Center

Humboldt Audiology

 

Conference Speakers

Samantha Day, DSW, LCSW  is the Director of Social Services at Humboldt Senior Resource Center where she oversees the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP), Adult Day Health and Alzheimer’s Services, and HSRC Behavioral Health. She holds a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) with an emphasis in social change and innovation through University of Southern California (USC). Her research focused on ways to reduce older adult social isolation and promote healthy aging through evidence-based and culturally responsive strategies. Dr. Day holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Humboldt State University (HSU) and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 15 years of behavioral health direct practice, training, evidence-based programming, and consultation experience.

Gregg Foster is the Executive Director of the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission (RREDC), which is a key player in  economic development in Humboldt County, providing loans to businesses and leading projects that benefit the region’s economy.  In his 10+ years with RREDC, Mr. Foster led the regional Joint Powers Authority focused on economic development, created the Fly Humboldt initiative and recruited airline services, oversaw broadband infrastructure initiatives, and has been involved with numerous community economic development projects.  He holds a BA in Political Science – Public Service from UC Davis and is active in many community organizations.

Brittany Gribbin, DPT is the Rehabilitation Services Manager and Physical Therapist at Redwood Coast PACE, a program of the Humboldt Senior Resource Center. She worked in an outpatient physical therapy practice for 5 years before joining the Redwood Coast PACE team in 2022. She received a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Samuel Merritt University and a Bachelor of Science in Community Health Education from the University of New Mexico. She specializes in pain science, person-centered care, and helping individuals make movement an integral part of their wellness.

Sacha Hall, PA-C has been dedicated to the health and wellness of Humboldt County since 1995 as a local scientist, middle and high school teacher, wilderness guide, and medical professional. She completed her BS in geology and her teaching credential at Humboldt Stata University, and graduated from the Stanford PA program in 2017. She has been working as a primary care provider for 7+ years, initially at Open Door Community Health Clinic in McKinleyville. She has been with Providence Medical Group in Eureka for almost 2 years.

Tim Haskett, GNP moved to Humboldt County in 1971 where he made his home and raised a family. He graduated from the RN-Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Humboldt State University in 1980. In 1992, he graduated from the Geriatric Nurse Practitioner program at University of California San Francisco, receiving his Master of Science in Nursing. Tim has served the Humboldt community for over 40 years, working in positions at home health agencies, County Public Health, Mad River Hospital, and Redwood Family Practice to name a few. Tim has brought his wealth of knowledge to the next generation of RNs as a Lecturer in the Nursing Program at Humboldt State University. Most recently he spent 9 years as a primary care provider at Redwood Coast PACE, and though he has “retired,” he has not stopped working to improve access to quality care for our community.

Bruce Kessler, MD grew up in New York and attended the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, graduating with an MD in 1972. After serving for 3 years as a Medical Officer in the US Public Health Service at the Zuni Indian Hospital in New Mexico, he completed his internal medicine training at Stanford University Hospital. In 1978 he moved to Humboldt County and joined the Arcata Family Medical Group. He moved to Eureka Internal Medicine in 2000 where he worked until retiring in 2018. He has held many positions in medical staff leadership and is proud of being one of the few physicians to have been elected as the Chief of the Medical Staff of both Mad River Community Hospital in Arcata and St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka. He was involved in the founding of the Family Medicine Resident training program in Eureka in 2019 and in retirement has continued to teach the residents. He has received a lifetime achievement award from the American College of Physicians and in 2023 was the California Medical Association Plessner Award winner as the California Physician Who Best Exemplifies the Ethics and Practice of a Rural Country Practitioner. He is on the boards of the Humboldt Senior Resource Center, the Humboldt Independent Practice Association and the Community Board of Providence St. Joseph Hospital Eureka.

Elizabeth Lara-O’Rourke is the Chief Executive Officer of United Indian Health Services (UIHS). She is Hupa, Yurok, and Chilula and has lived in Humboldt County all her life. She studied Communication and Native American Studies, receiving her bachelor’s degree from Humboldt State University. She received a master’s degree in public administration from the University of San Francisco.  In her time at UIHS she worked as a Patient Registration Technician, Clerical Assistant, Assistant CHR Coordinator, Health Promotion Specialist, Health Promotion and Education Manager, Tribal Public Health Director, and now the Chief Executive Officer. Having been raised by a very traditional family, Elizabeth brings cultural values and understanding to the workplace and to all the she is involved in. Providing services that meet the unique cultural and traditional needs of the American Indian people is a priority for her.

Andrew Levine, PhD is a scientist/clinician and holds an appointment as Adjunct Professor with the Department of Neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. With several grants awarded by the National Institutes of Health, he has developed a successful multidisciplinary international research program focused on psychometrics, neurodegenerative disease (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease) and the neurocognitive effects of HIV infection. Dr. Levine is also a clinical neuropsychologist who is board-certified through the American Board of Professional Psychology. He has been involved in clinical and medico-legal practice and consultation since completing a post-doctoral fellowship at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute in 2005. He has been a Qualified Medical Examiner for the California Department of Workers’ Compensation since 2018 and FAA HIMS-certified neuropsychologist since 2019. He relocated to Humboldt County with his family in 2020 and opened a private practice, North Coast Neuropsychology, in Arcata.

Peter H. Pennekamp is a public program innovator, organizer, and former nonprofit executive dedicated to advancing “community democracy” — a vision of equitable, participatory civic life. A longtime Humboldt County resident, he served as CEO of the Humboldt Area Foundation from 1993 to 2012, where he championed grassroots leadership and community-based philanthropy. Earlier in his career, he held national leadership roles at the National Endowment for the Arts and National Public Radio and was a founding force behind initiatives such as the California Native Cultures Fund and the Global Forum for Media Development. Mr. Pennekamp has advised major foundations, led national associations, and been recognized with multiple awards, including two Peabody Awards. He continues to write, speak, and advise on the intersections of culture, democracy, and rural equity.

Kimberly Perris, DNP, RN, CNL, PHN is an Assistant Professor and the founding Director of the RN-BSN Nursing Program at Cal Poly Humboldt. She has been deeply engaged in addressing Humboldt County’s healthcare needs since 1993. After earning her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of San Francisco, Dr. Perris discovered a passion for improving access to care. Her work centers on interdisciplinary, team-based care; expanding the role of registered nurses in community health settings; and leading quality improvement initiatives. She is committed to empowering nurses to practice to the full extent of their license. Dr. Perris serves on several boards and leadership groups, including as President of the California Association of Colleges of Nursing and Director for both Health Impact and the Area 1 Agency on Aging.

Celeste Sayles-Croy, DO is an internist with Redwood Coast PACE at Humboldt Senior Resource Center who specializes in geriatric care. She earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine Northwest, completing her residency in geriatrics and internal medicine and geriatric medicine fellowship at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, VA. She enjoys working with older adult patients and is passionate about preventing the marginalization of elders.