Class Information

Medicare Changes – Alan Heileman

This presentation will begin with explaining the basics of Medicare; what are the parts of Medicare, what is the difference between Medicare parts and Medicare plans? We will talk about the various costs of Medicare, premiums, deductibles and co-pays. Then we will talk about what changes have been announced for 2025.

Alan Heileman has been active in the senior industry for more than 20 years in various capacities. Former President of the Elder Care Network, facilitator of an Alzheimer’s support group, and Chairman of the Board for the Partnership for Age Friendly Communities. He has worked for home care agencies as well as assisted living communities. For the last five years, Alan has served as the Community Health Coordinator and the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Coordinator for Northern Colorado with UCHealth/Aspen Club.

Adaptive Devices for Low Vision – Amy Heath

Ensight Skills Center presenter will discuss types of low vision, diagnosis and treatments, impact of vision loss, and services/ resources to empower independent, productive living.

Amy Heath began with Ensight Skills Center 10 years ago as a volunteer. For the past 4 years, Amy managed patient intakes at the Fort Collins location and currently serves as the assistant community outreach coordinator. She loves working directly with clients & seeing firsthand the hope in their eyes after evaluations with our dedicated & knowledgeable staff. She enjoys meeting people struggling with low vision and informing them there is a place that can provide education, training, tools, support & hope. She currently serves as secretary of the Downtown Loveland Lions Club and looks forward to volunteer opportunities benefiting our blind and low vision community.

Living and Aging with Intention – Tammy Brannen

As we age we gather a lot of clutter, baggage, and memorabilia. It’s not just physical clutter, but emotional and mental clutter as well. This presentation is about living your best life through your Golden Years with intention and focus on what you want and what you want to be rid of.

Tammy Brannen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 25 years of experience working with all ages from young children, adolescents, and older adults. She enjoys supporting people through life’s most difficult moments and has extensive experience with grief and loss, serious illness, end-of-life, caregiving, and compassion fatigue for professionals. Her approach is centered around a strong client/therapist relationship and believes in the importance of a compassionate presence to encourage and support you through the healing process. She trusts that each of us has the innate wisdom to develop the resources needed for healing and a greater sense of peace.

Dementia Care Panel – Wendy Abbott, Cyndy Luzinski, Angela Zigelhofer

There are many types of Dementias and just as many ways to care for those with this progressive and challenging illness. This panel will discuss tips, resources, and different models for care of yourself or your loved one with a memory loss diagnosis.

Wendy Abbott began learning about dementia and effective caregiving through personal experience and formal training while advocating for her mom who lived with Alzheimer’s disease for more than a decade. Wendy is an Alzheimer’s Association volunteer community educator, facilitates a monthly support group for caregivers in the sandwich generation, and is part of the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Wendy is the Compassionate Care Training Specialist with Centennial Area Health Education Center (CAHEC) training the future and existing healthcare workforce in quality care for those experiencing Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Prior to CAHEC, Wendy delivered an education program to older adults promoting healthy aging as part of an NIA funded research study through the Colorado State University, ADAPT Lab.

Cyndy Hunt Luzinski is an advanced practice nurse and the first accredited SPECAL® (pronounced “speckle”) practitioner in North America, credentialed by the Contented Dementia Trust in England. Cyndy’s nursing background ranges from critical care to community case management. In honor of her dad, she founded and currently serves as executive director of Dementia Together, a nonprofit organization in Northern Colorado which offers education, enrichment, and hope, while cultivating joy and building stronger connections for people living with dementia, their care partners, and the community. She and her Dementia Together team advocate for community collaboration and education to make “living well with dementia” the expectation, not the exception.

Angela Zigelhofer is a Virginia native, but now calls Colorado home. She started in healthcare and has worked in several areas including: as a Certified Nursing Assistant, QMAP, Activities Assistant, Activity Director, Community Life Director, and Montessori Life Enrichment Director. She is currently the Executive Director for Windsong at Northridge. Her healthcare journey changed with the word, Montessori. It has shown her a lifestyle that promotes a strong environment in which dementia can thrive.

Housing Rights – Kathryn Hall

The presentation will cover recent changes in Colorado law which expanded tenant protections with regard to lease non-renewals, lease termination notice requirements, rent increases and late fees.
The presentation will also discuss the warranty of habitability as it applies to repair issues.

Kathryn Hall graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1993. She worked for the Georgia Legal Services Program as a Staff Attorney, Supervising Attorney, and Managing Attorney of the Waycross Field Office from 1993 to 2006. She moved to Colorado in 2006 and opened a private practice handling Social Security appeals. Ms. Hall remained in private practice until 2016 when she became the Managing Attorney of the Greeley Field Office of Colorado Legal Services.

PAM Hospital – What It’s All About! – Kate Connell

The presentation will familiarize attendees with Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRF). The difference between the services at an IRF and a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) will be explained. It will highlight the criteria for an IRF admission, the patients served and diagnoses addressed.

Kate Connell has spent 40 years in the practice of Speech-Language Pathology with professional emphasis in the diagnosis and treatment of dysphagia, neurological communication disorders, and traumatic brain injury. Kate has over 30 years of professional experience in the management and program development areas for multi-disciplinary teams in the inpatient rehab, outpatient rehab, and skill nursing settings. In addition, she has served as adjunct professor forays at both Michigan State University and University of Northern Colorado while also presenting at state and local conferences on the topics of dysphagia, traumatic brain injury, and Medicare rules and regulations as they pertain to the provision of therapy services.

Last Wills and Testaments, Trusts and Powers of Attorney – Charles J Connell

The presentation will present information regarding documents such as Last Wills and Testaments, Trusts, Financial and Medical Powers of Attorney, and other advanced medical directives. The discussion will also include recommendations for necessary actions to take while planning.

Charles J Connell received his Bachelor of Arts Degree, from the University of Notre Dame in 1973, and his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Denver in 1979. He was a County Court Magistrate in Weld County from 1988 to 1993. He is a sole practitioner in Greeley with a practice limited to Elder Law, estate planning and probate. He was the director of the Legal Services Program of the Weld County Area Agency on Aging from 1990 to 2015. He is a current member of the Executive Council and a past Chair for the Elder Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association (2003-2005). He has also authored the Ethical Considerations Chapter of the Colorado Handbook of Elder Law since 1997.