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AGEMARK SENIOR LIVING & The Alzheimer's Association - Nebraska Chapter

The 2nd Annual Empowered Caregiver Conference:
The Dementia Care Path: From Early Signs to Ongoing Support

Family and friends of individuals with dementia are invited to attend the 2nd Annual Empowered Caregiver Conference on April 14, 2026, at Zenia Omaha Event Space, 450 S 193rd St, Elkhorn, NE 68022. The goal of this gathering is to provide family caregivers with practical information, support, and guidance as they care for their loved ones with dementia.

Event Details

This year’s conference will be held on April 14, 2026, from 9:00 am – 2:30 pm with an optional post-event Virtual Dementia Tour (spaces are limited).  

The conference is free for family caregivers and loved ones of individuals with all types of dementia (all stages). In order to keep this event free of charge for family caregivers, we will decline registration requests from most local professionals. If you have questions, please reach out to Ashley Gloystein-Klatt by emailing agloystein-klatt@agemark.com.

Conference Agenda

Our session offerings are meant to support you on your caregiving journey. 

9:00 a.m.

Welcome

Sadie Hinkel, Program Director (The Alzheimer’s Association)

9:05 a.m.

10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Dementia and Alzheimer’s 

Ethan Schroder,
Community Educator (The Alzheimer’s Association)

Alzheimer’s and other dementias cause memory, thinking, and behavior problems that interfere with daily living. Learn how to recognize common dementia warning signs, how to approach someone about memory concerns, the importance of early detection and benefits of a diagnosis, possible tests and assessments for the diagnostic process, and Alzheimer’s Association resources. 

10:00 a.m.

Understanding a Dementia Diagnosis

Jenn Asmus, APRN, MSN, FNP-BC

Nurse Practitioner, Be Well Memory and Infusion

 

Dementia is one of the most feared diagnoses in aging—but today’s approach looks different than it did even five years ago. In this session, Jenn Asmus, APRN, MSN, FNP-BC will break down how clinicians evaluate cognitive decline, what tools are used to reach an accurate diagnosis, and why early detection matters.

She will also discuss the evolving landscape of treatment, including symptom management, supportive therapies, and emerging disease-modifying options. Attendees will gain practical insight into partnering with medical providers, what questions to ask, and how to balance realism with hope on the caregiving journey.

11:00-11:30 a.m.

Quick Break & Grab Lunch

Take a quick break and get ready for our Lunch and Learn Session.

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Lunch and Learn 

David Thompson,

Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorney, Burnett Legal Group, LLP

This session features an experienced elder law attorney (who was also a caregiver for both of his parents). David will discuss key legal issues that commonly arise for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and their families. The presentation will focus on proactive planning, legal protections, Medicaid, guardianships and practical steps caregivers can take to safeguard their loved one’s wishes, assets, and quality of life.

12:30-12:45 p.m.

Break

Take a quick break before learning more.

12:45 – 1:45 p.m.

Community Connections and Resources

Kailey Edelman

Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging (ENOA)

The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging provides critical services to help older adults age safely and independently at home. Attendees will gain insight into ADRC/Information & Assistance, care management, nutrition, volunteer programs, and community-based supports available to adults age 60+.

1:45 – 2:30 p.m.

Learn About Care Options

Kaleb Hight

Executive Director, Symphony Pointe

This session breaks down the different types of residential senior care: Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Skilled Nursing, and more. Attendees will learn how each care option differs and how to identify the most appropriate level of care based on their loved one’s needs, safety, and support.

2:30-2:45 p.m.

Closing Comments

Marty Hug

Executive Chairman, Agemark Senior Living

2:45 – 4:00 p.m.

Optional: Virtual Dementia Tours 

Our Experts

We’ve gathered some of the best local experts on dementia caregiving to share their insight with you. Click on the individuals below to learn more. 

Jenn Asmus

Jenn Asmus

Nurse Practitioner, Be Well Memory and Infusion

Jenn is a board-certified family nurse practitioner with over 15 years of diverse clinical experience. Jenn is deeply committed to delivering holistic and compassionate care to her patients. 

She received a BSN from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and an MSN with an emphasis on family practice from Creighton University. Her clinical expertise ranges from intensive care to emergency and trauma to outpatient services. These experiences have equipped Jenn with a comprehensive skill set and adeptness in patient-centered care.

Nursing became Jenn’s calling while caring for her grandmother who lived with memory loss. Her passion for memory care is driven by a profound understanding of the emotional and physical complexities associated with cognitive decline. 

With an empathetic and calm bedside manner, Jenn approaches each patient with the same level of care and consideration she would offer her own family. Whether managing a critical situation in the ICU or guiding a family through the complexities of memory decline, her approach ensures that every patient receives the highest standard of care.

Nurse Practitioner, Be Well Memory and Infusion

Kailey Edelman

Kailey Edelman

Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

Kailey Edelman is the Director of Community Engagement/ADRC at the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, where she has served for nearly 4.5 years and brings a total of eight years of experience working with older adults. In her current role, Kailey helps lead programs and services that support adults aged 60 and older in remaining independent and living safely at home for as long as possible. Her work spans Information and Assistance/ADRC, Care Management, Caregiver Support, Nutrition programs, Medicaid Waiver services, Volunteer programs, and coordination with community resources. Prior to her current position, Kailey worked with ENOA’s Foster Grandparent Program, gaining hands-on experience in volunteer-driven aging services. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Gerontology with a concentration in Healthy Aging and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Gerontology and Social Work at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

Kaleb Hight

Kaleb Hight

Executive Director, Symphony Pointe

Executive Director, Symphony Pointe

Sadie Hinkel

Sadie Hinkel

Program Director, Alzheimer's Association

Sadie Hinkel is the Program Director at the Alzheimer’s Association – Nebraska Chapter. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English Education from Morningside University and her Master’s Degree in Writing from Coastal Carolina University. Sadie has extensive experience working in public education and advocacy, and is passionate about providing and enhancing care and support for those affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

Program Director, Alzheimer's Association

Marty Hug

Marty Hug

Executive Chairman, Agemark Senior Living

Marty Hug was named Executive Chairman of Agemark in May 2025. Prior to that, he was the company’s CEO. Under his tutelage, Agemark has grown and flourished as a company.

Marty started with Agemark as the Executive Director of The Kensington in Hastings, Nebraska, and later served as a Regional Director with Agemark, before serving as COO, then CEO starting in 2023. Including his time with the company, he has more than 30 years of experience in nursing home and assisted living management.

He holds a BA from Dana College. 

Executive Chairman, Agemark Senior Living

David Thompson

David Thompson

Elder Law Attorney, Burnett Legal Group

David M. Thompson is an elder law attorney with the Omaha firm of Burnett Legal Group, LLP, with a practice focused on long-term care planning, guardianships, Medicaid, veterans benefits, and helping families navigate the complicated world of services available to seniors in Nebraska. David has presented and published on a wide range of topics, including legal and financial planning for long-term care, health care decision-making, and elder financial abuse.

David is Board Chair of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Nebraska Chapter and Board Vice President of the Aging With Spirit Foundation with the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. David is also a member of the Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementia Advisory Council for the state of Nebraska. In his personal life, David was a caregiver for his father, who suffered from vascular dementia and passed away in 2016, and also for his mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s and passed away in January 2025. He also serves as guardian for numerous low-income, cognitively impaired seniors.

David received his B.A. with high distinction from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He attended law school at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in Chicago, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Northwestern University Law Review. He is licensed to practice in Nebraska and Iowa.

Elder Law Attorney, Burnett Legal Group

April McKenna

April McKenna

Virtual Dementia Tour Certified Facilitator

April McKenna began as Director of Training and Development for Agemark Senior Living in 2019 and was promoted to Vice President of Training and Organizational Development in 2022. She is responsible for talent development which consists of developing, motivating and retaining talent. This involves new employee orientation, professional and leadership development, and coaching with Agemark employees. Her responsibilities also include organizational development, including team building, organizational effectiveness, change management, employee engagement, family satisfaction, succession planning and maximizing employee performance. 

April brings more than 20 years of experience in sales, operations, human resources, talent strategy, and organizational development and has worked with organizations including Cox Communications, Children’s Hospital, Caterpillar and Blue Cross & Blue Shield. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a master’s degree in Communications & Organizational/Industrial Psychology from Bellevue University. She holds certifications in Six Sigma, Change Management, Learning and Performance, Coaching, Behavioral Assessments and Dementia. She also holds her administrators license to operate assisted living communities in Nebraska, Iowa and California. 

April has first-hand experience with family caregiving, as her father lived with dementia as a result of a traumatic brain injury.

Virtual Dementia Tour Certified Facilitator

Ethan Schroeder

Ethan Schroeder

Community Educator, Alzheimer's Association

Ethan Schroeder is a Community Educator for the Alzheimer’s Association. He teaches at Creighton University. Ethan and his wife, Sarah, live in Gretna with their two children. His interest in serving with the Alzheimer’s Association stems from his father-in-law’s early stage diagnosis, as well as other family members affected by dementia.

 

 

 

Community Educator, Alzheimer's Association

Optional Opportunity:
Take the Virtual Dementia Tour

Experience what it’s like to live with dementia by taking this eye-opening tour. The tour is designed to give people the opportunity to experience what dementia is like through an individualized, experiential tour. This tour is appropriate for anyone who interacts with individuals with dementia. VDT slots will be offered before and after the conference. If you’re interested in taking the tour, please request a spot when registering for the conference. Spaces are extremely limited, and will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Event Location

450 S 193rd Street, Omaha, NE 68022

Zenia is connected to All Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church in Elkhorn.

Plenty of parking is available on the south side of Zenia. 

Register

Please use the form below to register for the conference. Conference attendance is limited to family, friends, and family caregivers of those with dementia. 

This event is supported by Agemark and it's communities.

Questions? Reach out to learn more.