Innovations in Elder Care

Keren Etkin, M.A. Gerontology
The Gerontechnologist, Tel Aviv, Israel

Keren is the best-selling author of The AgeTech Revolution - a book about the intersection of technology and aging, founder of TheGerontechnologist.com, a media platform that covers the global agetech ecosystem and offers online courses through the AgeTech Academy, and the founder/director of AgeLabIL at Shenkar college in Israel, an interdisciplinary R&D center focusing on agetech. Named one of the most influential people in aging, Etkin is a sought-after public speaker and advisor for agetech startups, investors in the longevity economy, care providers and organizations who work on innovation in aging. Previously, Etkin was the first employee at Intuition Robotics, maker of ElliQ, a pioneering social robot designed with and for older adults, and co-founder & VP of Product at Sensi.ai, a startup that developed the first artificial intelligence solution for remote care monitoring. She holds an M.A. in Gerontology and a B.Sc. in Life Sciences from Ben-Gurion University.

Nancy M. Alterman MSW, ACSW, LCSW Private Practice of Nancy M. Alterman, LCSW

Nancy M. Alterman, LCSW has almost 35 years’ experience with working with the elderly, their families and dementia care. Soon after receiving her masters in social work, she started with Geriatric Care Management in South Florida. It was there that Nancy learned the ins and outs of “pretending” to avoid some of the difficulties often associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Hired by out of town families, she would teach them about progression, coping skills and the necessity to grieve the former loved one so they could prepare for ongoing overwhelming decisions for care.

Arriving back in New Jersey, Nancy ran an adult medical day program. Quickly, she recognized the benefits of socialization, structure and routine for people with dementia. The partnership between paid caregivers and families committed to delaying placement was valuable. For the last 14 years, on faculty at Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine, Department of Geriatrics, Memory Assessment Team, she has worked intimately with patients and their loved ones regarding impact of diagnosis, treatment and planning in every dimension of intervention. Now, Ms. Alterman’s approach to her work is simple - the goal is to help families members “get to the graveside without regret”.

In her free time, she started a private practice, writes inspirational poetry and looks forward to traveling the USA in a travel trailer one day.

My focus is with adults who are triggered by relationship issues. These issues may range from a caregiver being overwhelmed by demands of an aging parent, siblings who are resisting being in relationship, spouses who feel unavailable or children who seem distant. I believe nothing matters more in life than our relationships. Sometimes, we need someone else to point out the better alternatives so we can take the next right step. I'm highly skilled in helping clients strengthen their communication and coping skills while healing old wounds. Once clear objectives are established, improvement can start immediately.
Most of my 35 year career has been with families experiencing a medical crisis. When life hands people this kind of difficulty, they often get overwhelmed and need guidance to sort through it all. Stress can uncover an unresolved relationship struggle, which now calls to be addressed.
With insight & wisdom, I speak with passion to inspire hope because it's never too late to evolve. It begins with the relationship we have with ourselves. By learning to refocus their energy on accepting and loving one's self, freedom to be our authentic self is created which leads to healthier relationships with others.

Seth M. Keller, MD, a board-certified neurologist in private practice with Neurology Associates of South Jersey. He specializes in the evaluation and care of adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) with neurologic complications. Dr Keller is on the Executive Board of the Arc of Burlington County as well as on the board for The Arc of New Jersey Mainstreaming Medical Care Board. Dr Keller is the Past President of the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD). Dr Keller is the co-president of the National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices (NTG). Dr. Keller is also the chair of the Adult IDD Section with the American Academy of Neurology. He is actively involved in national and international I/DD health education as a speaker and webinar and workshop participant. He is a co- author on a number of articles and book chapters relating to aging and dementia in those with IDD. Raised in Philadelphia, PA, Keller received his bachelor’s degree from Temple University, earned his medical degree from The George Washington University School of Medicine in 1989, and completed his neurology internship and residency at Bethesda Naval Hospital. He also served as a neurologist at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Okinawa, Japan.

Steve Weiss CEO/President, Hurricane Marketing Enterprises

Steve “The Hurricane” Weiss is a dynamic and entertaining public speaker, known for his expert knowledge in all things sales and marketing. From a young age, Steve has been driven to succeed, and excelled across vastly differentindustries.

Steve founded Hurricane Marketing Enterprises in 2012,with a goal to help other business owners around the globe. In a few short years, he grew it to a seven-figure business and it has been booming ever since.

Steve has sold out Boot Camps and seminars all over the county for years, even attracting attendees from other continents to hear him speak. With more than a decade of knowledge and a knack for “breaking it down” in easy-tofollow steps, he is known as the “Marketing Guru.”

Steve’s passion is to lead business owners on the path to find people in need of their services and convert these prospects into clients. His company’s mission statement is to help business owners increase their census, revenue, and profits. Through his programs and presentations, he has guided thousands of individuals to grow their organizations and continues to help them BLOW AWAY THE COMPETITION!

With his dedication and hard work, Steve has developed a foolproof program that enables start-up companies to quickly get ahead of the competition, while helping existing businesses experience an explosive transformation. Many of his clients double and even triple annual revenue in as little as 6 months.

While shining on the stage, Steve draws the audience in with his detail, exuberance, and emotion. He shares his passion for educating individuals on proven skills and strategies that are guaranteed to work while mesmerizing the audience.

Through each speaking engagement, he captures attention by sharing both his personal stories and those of people he has encountered along the way. As a result, he has impacted thousands of individuals, helping them to increase their annual revenue by hundreds of millions of dollars!

David Shallcross Director of Senior Protection, PA Office of Attorney General

David Shallcross is the Director of the Senior Protection Unit for Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Josh Shapiro. Dave helps to safeguard our senior citizens with information, resources and investigations. He conducts seminars throughout the state about various types of identity theft, financial exploitation, scams and elder abuse that often target older adults of the Commonwealth and has been with the OAG since 2008.

Dave has worked to protect our communities for over 40 years, including his career of 21 years with the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office, he has also served as a Community Resource Officer, Auxiliary Police Officer, Fire Inspector, Firefighter & Fire Prevention Instructor.

NJ Senator Troy Singleton Senator, 7th District, New Jersey Senate

Senator Troy Singleton has devoted his life to public service in government, political, and policy posts at all levels. In 2011, he was elected to his first term in the New Jersey General Assembly, representing the over 220,000 residents of the 7th Legislative District. Senator Singleton was elected to the New Jersey State Senate in November 2017 and currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee, Vice Chair of the Senate Economic Growth Committee, and as a member of the Judiciary Committee. He was most recently appointed to serve as the Senate Majority Whip.

During his time in the legislature, Senator Singleton had a significant number of proposals signed into law and has received numerous awards for his public service and legislative acumen from business, education, civic, labor and non-profit organizations.

Senator Singleton is currently employed as a Senior Vice President for Realogy Title Group and as the President of Realogy Insurance Agency. Along with this busy career, Senator Singleton has long included personal involvement in his community as an essential component of his life.

Lori Smetanka Executive Director, National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care

Lori Smetanka is the Executive Director of the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, the leading national nonprofit advocacy organization representing consumers receiving long-term care and services in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and home and community-based settings. She is a nationally recognized expert on nursing home and long-term care policy and has a long history advocating with and on behalf of individuals receiving long-term care and services. Lori has testified before Congress, served on numerous federal task forces and technical expert panels, and works closely with federal agencies on long-term care policy. For twelve years, she served as the Director of the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center.

Charles Clarkson Project Director of the Senior Medicare Patrol of New Jersey, Jewish Family Services of Middlesex County

Since 2005, Charles Clarkson has been the Project Director of the Senior Medicare Patrol of New Jersey under the auspices of the Jewish Family Services of Middlesex County. The Senior Medicare Patrol of New Jersey is a federally funded program of the U.S. Administration for Community Living and part of the national Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) project. There is a Senior Medicare Patrol in each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgins Islands.

The SMP of New Jersey is responsible for teaching recipients of Medicare in the State of New Jersey to become better healthcare consumers. As part of this effort, seniors are provided information to prevent them from becoming victims of fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program. The SMP program also assists beneficiaries in reviewing suspected Medicare fraud and can act as an advocate to assist beneficiaries in fighting Medicare fraud, waste and abuse.

Mr. Clarkson is a New York attorney who for many years was Vice President, Deputy Counsel and Corporate Secretary of TLC Beatrice International Holdings, Inc., a multi-billion, international food company.