A panel discussion about how to prepare for care in FAD, including advance directives, Medicare, and financial aid programs, and more.
About this event
Join the Youngtimers Community as we discuss how to best plan for the familial Alzheimer's disease journey. Community panelists will share their expertise in what helped them prepare for their future. We will be joined by Vanessa Souza, Community Engagement Manager from the Alzheimer's Association of Northern California to speak about advance directives, how to apply for early admission to Medicare, and how to find financial aid programs, as well as a few other topics.
Your questions are extremely valuable. You are welcome to submit them beforehand to alicia@youngtimers.org.
About the featured guest, Vanessa Souza
Vanessa is an social worker with deep expertise in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Currently serving as the Senior Manager of Community Engagement at the Alzheimer's Association of Northern California and Northern Nevada, she leads initiatives to empower individuals with dementia and their caregivers, fostering active participation in care planning and education.
Vanessa's career spans over a decade and includes roles such as Early Stage Program Coordinator at the Alzheimer's Association, where she developed programs tailored to early-stage dementia participants, and as Social Worker at Golden Castle Adult Day Health Center, where she provided assessments, developed care plans, and facilitated support groups for caregivers and participants. Her background also includes leadership positions such as Executive Director at Brookdale Danville, overseeing a 42-bed assisted living community specializing in Alzheimer’s and memory care, and Memory Program Coordinator at Belmont Village, where she supervised staff and managed dementia-specific care programs.
Vanessa holds a Master of Social Service Administration with a focus on Adult Mental Health from Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor of Social Work from Seattle University. Her work is characterized by a deep commitment to enhancing the lives of older adults and supporting families affected by cognitive impairments.
Event recap
We plan to post a video and writeup for those who were unable to attend live. That video will be linked here as soon as its available.