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ForwardSession 5: Caring for Our Aging Patients: Depression, Anxiety, and Dementia
Depression and anxiety disorders threaten our ability to age successfully. Whereas sadness, grief and worry are core parts of being a human, depression and anxiety disorders are not inevitable. But they are emotionally painful, physically uncomfortable, disabling and potentially fatal. Suicide is a significant global health problem, especially among older adults, and depression contributes mightily to the risk of suicide. Thankfully, we can identify people with late-life depression and anxiety, we can diagnose them accurately, and we can offer treatment that works. In other words, people suffering from these conditions can find relief, maintain their independence, and lower their risk of dying due to suicide.
Around 7 million people in the United States are currently suffering from dementia. Though there have been advances in the diagnosis (e.g., blood-based biomarkers) and treatment (e.g., monoclonal antibodies) of dementia, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) remain very common, affecting 90% of persons living with dementia. These symptoms - including agitation, depression, apathy, and psychosis - can profoundly affect quality of life, relationships with loved ones, personal safety, autonomy, dignity, and independence. BPSD sometimes arise unpredictably, with terrible timing, when a family is already struggling to address the cognitive and functional consequences of dementia. We will discuss how to comprehensively assess BPSD and then move on to evidence-based approaches to managing BPSD holistically. Our ultimate goal is that the burden of having dementia or caring for someone with dementia can be lifted, at least a little bit.
Psychology CE Credit Statement
The Medical College of Wisconsin is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Medical College of Wisconsin maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
This activity contains content or processes that may be potentially stressful.
Target Audience
- Physicians
- Nurse Practitioners
- Physician Assistants
- Nurses
- Pharmacists
- Psychologists
- Social Workers
- Psychiatry Residents
- Medical Students
- Allied Health Professionals
Learning Objectives
Participants who engage in this education intervention will be able to:
- Describe how to evaluate depression, suicidality, and anxiety among older adults
- Develop a treatment plan for depression and anxiety among older adults, including mitigating the risk of suicide
- Appreciate recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of dementia
- Describe how to evaluate and treat behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), including psychological, behavioral, environmental, medication, and caregiver interventions
Thursday:
- Welcome and Introduction to Geriatric Psychiatry
- Late-Life Depression & Anxiety: Background
- Assessment, including suicidality
- Management of LLD & Anxiety: Psychotherapy
- Management: Pharmacotherapy, Neuromodulation, Mitigating suicide risk
- Q&A
Friday:
- Introduction to Dementia, including recent advances in diagnosis and treatment
- Assessment of BPSD
- Management of BPSD: psychological, behavioral, environmental & caregiver approaches
- Management of BPSD: antipsychotics
- Management of BPSD: other medications
- Q&A
Lodging in July and August is in great demand; you must make reservations early. A block of suites has been set aside at the Landmark Resort. These suites will be held until June 5th, 2026, or until they are filled.
From its site on the bluff, the Landmark offers outstanding views of the waters of Green Bay with 294 units comprised of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom suites. Facilities include the Carrington Pub and Grill, 1 indoor and 3 outdoor pools, 2 tennis courts, whirlpools, steam rooms, and a fitness center and game room. The Landmark Resort is Door County’s largest and best full-service facility.
The Landmark Resort
4929 Landmark Drive
Egg Harbor, Wisconsin 54209
Reservations: (800) 273-7877
http://www.thelandmarkresort.com
To book through our discounted group rate, please call the Landmark reservation line at (800) 273-7877 and state that you are attending the Door County Summer Institute. No group code is required.
Group rates cannot be booked online.
Art Walaszek, MD, is a board-certified geriatric psychiatrist and Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He is past president of the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training (AADPRT). He is Vice Chair of the Psychiatry Review Committee of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Dr. Walaszek works with the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, where he is Co-Leader of the Outreach, Recruitment and Education Core, and with the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute, where he leads the Public Health Pillar. His research focuses on public health approaches to improving the care of people with dementia. He is the author of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia and editor of Late-Life Depression and Anxiety and Substance Use in Older Adults, all from American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
Activity Director:
Carlyle H Chan, MD
Professor of Psychiatry and
the Institute for Health and Equity-Bioethics and Humanities
Medical College of Wisconsin
Planning Committee Members:
Ellen Leitner, MSW, LCSW
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
Kevin Bozymski, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP
Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Science
Medical College of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
Kylie Lenz, PA-C
Physician Assistant
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
Heather M. Smith, PhD, ABPP
Lead Psychologist
Director of Psychology Training
Milwaukee VA Medical Center
Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
Marisa Stich, APNP
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
In accordance with the ACCME® Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, Standard 3, all persons in control of content must disclose any relevant financial relationships. It is the policy of the Medical College of Wisconsin to identify, mitigate and disclose the absence or presence of all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies held by the speakers/presenters, authors, planners, and other persons who may influence content of this accredited continuing education. The following in control of content had no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
- Carlyle H Chan
- Ellen Leitner
- Kevin Bozymski
- Kylie Lenz
- Heather M. Smith
- Marisa Stich
- Art Walaszek
Accreditation Statement:
The Medical College of Wisconsin is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Designation of Credit Statement
The Medical College of Wisconsin designates this live activity for a maximum of 8 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Hours of Participation for Allied Health Professionals
The Medical College of Wisconsin designates this activity for up to 8 hours of participation for continuing education for allied health professionals.
Available Credit
- 8.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™
- 8.00 APAAPA credit.
- 8.00 Hours of ParticipationHours of Participation credit.
- 8.00 NASW
- 8.00 NP Contact Hours
- 8.00 PAPA credit.
Price
Credit MUST be claimed before November 30, 2026.
We highly encourage you to complete the evaluation and credit steps before leaving on your last day!
Early Bird Tuition for 2-day sessions (4 hrs/day) is $430. After June 1st, the price will increase to $455. Graduate and medical students and resident physicians will have a discounted rate, so please contact Caimen at [email protected] to inquire about this discount. A $1 fee is added during checkout to cover the PayPal transaction fee.
To receive a refund, the request must be made at least 15 days before the requested session begins, and a $50 cancellation fee will be deducted from the refund amount. If the refund request is received less than 15 days before the session begins, the full registration fee will be forfeited.
2-Day Pricing | 2-Day Pricing |
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$430 | $455 |
PLEASE NOTE! The billing address entered upon checkout must match the billing address on the credit card you will be using to pay for this course. MCW accepts MasterCard, VISA and Discover card. For a more user-friendly registration and payment experience, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox are the recommended web browsers.
Registration scams:
Registration for courses managed by MCW Office of Continuing Professional Development can only be completed through our portal at https://ocpe.mcw.edu/. Course registrations made through other sites cannot be honored. MCW Office of Continuing Professional Development is not able to refund fees paid through unaffiliated registration sites, such as eMedEvents.com, MedConfWorld.com, EventEgg.com, and 10times.com. Please report any unauthorized websites or solicitations for registrations to [email protected].