ADSDG Members
Paul R. Solomon, PhD
Clinical Director, Memory Clinic, Bennington, VT
Professor of Psychology and Founding Chairman, Neuroscience Program, Williams College, Williamstown, MA
Dr. Solomon has spent two decades conducting Alzheimer's disease research, as well as lecturing and writing about the disease. One of his many contributions to the category includes a screening tool — the "7 Minute Screen" — which he developed to help facilitate the early recognition of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
Dr. Solomon is a recipient of the National Research Service Award from the National Institutes of Health — a testament to his dedication and commitment to better understanding and combating the disease. He has authored six books, contributed chapters to 15 edited volumes, and co-authored or presented more than 200 research papers on Alzheimer's disease and other memory disorders. He lectures extensively around the globe, and frequently appears on national television and radio programs to discuss the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
Dr. Solomon is a licensed psychologist in Vermont and Massachusetts, and serves on the advisory boards of the Alzheimer's Associations of Massachusetts and Northeastern New York. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member of the National Academy of Neuropsychology.
Dr. Solomon earned his PhD at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and completed postdoctoral training at the University of California Irvine.
Richard Stefanacci, DO, MGH, MBA, AGSF, CMD
Founding Executive Director, USP Geriatric Health Program
As the founder and executive director of the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia's Geriatric Health Program, Dr. Stefanacci is building upon his just-completed work as a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Health Policy Scholar. At CMS, he spent a year working on the policy and implementation of the Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefit focusing on access issues for the elderly. His position at CMS was established as an exchange through the Department of Health Policy at Thomas Jefferson University, where he served as a visiting scholar. At Jefferson, he was involved in research and educational projects that dealt principally with geriatric quality and utilization issues.
Dr. Stefanacci has dedicated his entire career to improving the lives of frail seniors. For more than a decade, he has served as the medical director for several long-term care facilities as well as for Program for All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Currently, Dr. Stefanacci continues to be involved in direct patient care as well as the implementation of quality assurance and utilization management initiatives.
Dr. Stefanacci is actively involved in several professional organizations including the American Medical Directors Association (AMDA), the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP), and the American Geriatrics Society (AGS). He achieved recognition as a fellow to both the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and the AGS. In addition to writing and lecturing extensively, he serves as editor-in-chief of The Assisted Living Consult and Medicare Patient Management, and is a member of the editorial boards of several publications.
Dr. Stefanacci holds masters degrees in Geriatric Health and Business Administration. He completed his clinical training in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in geriatrics at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
Barry W. Rovner, MD
Clinical Director of Clinical Alzheimer's Disease Research, Farber Institute for the Neurosciences
Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology, Thomas Jefferson University
As Director of Alzheimer's disease research at Thomas Jefferson University, Barry Rovner, MD, studies neurodegenerative disorders that impact the elderly, such as Alzheimer's disease and age-related macular degeneration. This unique dual research focus enables Dr. Rovner to test new interventions to improve cognition, prevent depression, and enhance quality of life in the elderly.
His work in Alzheimer's disease involves developing innovative methods to identify dementia in seniors living in a community setting and testing the efficacy of disease-modifying medications to slow the progression of dementia.
Dr. Rovner has been awarded research grants from the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute on Aging, and the Alzheimer's Association. He has authored or co-authored over 45 research papers on Alzheimer's disease, age-related vision problems, and psychiatric issues in the elderly. Dr. Rovner is a reviewer for the Journal of the American Medical Association, the American Journal of Psychiatry, the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, and The Gerontologist, among other publications, and has served on the editorial boards of Nursing Home Practitioner, Disease Management, and Health Outcomes.
Dr. Rovner graduated from Jefferson Medical College and completed his residency in psychiatry as well as fellowship training at Johns Hopkins University.
Yanira Cruz, MPH, DrPH
President, Chief Executive Officer, National Hispanic Council on Aging
Yanira Cruz is President and CEO of the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA), a national organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for the Hispanic elderly, their families, and communities through public policy, education, and community-based programs.
Dr. Cruz directs NHCOA's resource development activities and serves as the chief liaison to the board of directors. She manages NHCOA's strategic relationships, serves as its chief liaison to all federal agencies, private organizations, and corporations, and is the organization's spokesperson.
In addition to her role at NHCOA, Dr. Cruz is an adjunct professor of public health at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. She also serves on the board of directors of the American Diabetes Association, the National Center for Behavioral Health Solutions, and the Latin American Youth Center. In August 2007, Dr. Cruz was appointed to serve on the Advisory Panel on Medicare Education, which provides counsel to the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Preceding her tenure at NHCOA, Dr. Cruz served as executive director and chief operating officer of the Hispanic-Serving Health Professions Schools (HSHPS) in Washington, D.C., and prior to that, as director of the Institute for Hispanic Health at the National Council of La Raza (NCLR).
Dr. Cruz earned a Masters of Public Health and a Doctoral degree from The George Washington University School of Public Health, with an emphasis on global health. She is fluent in English and Spanish.
Gail Hunt
President and Chief Executive Officer, National Alliance for Caregiving
Gail Hunt is President and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving, a national nonprofit coalition that provides support to family caregivers and the professionals who help them. As President, she develops programs with a focus on sensitizing professional groups on caregiving issues, and is helping to develop a virtual national network of state and local caregiving coalitions. In 1997 and 2004, Hunt produced the National Caregiver Survey, which examined caregiver activities, the impact of those activities on caregivers' daily lives, and the unmet needs of caregivers. She also developed several national studies that emphasized caregiving issues, such as costs associated with caregiving, including lost productivity in the workplace, the emotional and financial toll of long-distance caregiving, and gender differences in caregiving roles.
Prior to her tenure at the National Alliance for Caregiving, Hunt was President of Gibson-Hunt Associates, a management consulting firm specializing in aging issues. There, Hunt managed production of videos and training programs about elder care, including an award-winning package for Alzheimer's caregivers, "A Part of Daily Life," which provided advice on how to create an encouraging, safe, and structured home environment that would best utilize the remaining skills of a person with Alzheimer's disease.
Hunt is the author of articles and reports published in various journals including Research on Aging and the American Journal of Public Health. She has been interviewed on eldercare issues for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, NPR, CNN, ABC News, and The Today Show, among others.
Hunt attended Vassar College and graduated from Columbia University with a degree in English. She also attended the International Graduate Institute at Oxford University in England.
Janet Farr
Alzheimer's disease caregiver
Janet is the primary caregiver for her husband, Herb, 74, who has Alzheimer's disease. Though Janet had begun to notice differences in Herb's behavior — he had trouble tying his shoes and balancing his checkbook — she was not immediately alarmed by what she saw. In fact, the Farrs didn't schedule an appointment with a doctor until Herb expressed concern that he had trouble remembering passages from a book just moments after he read them. Herb was ultimately diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and has been on AD treatment ever since.
Upon receiving Herb's diagnosis, Janet retired early from her job as an administrator at a law firm and quickly assumed all the responsibilities that a caregiver role involves — caretaker, student, and support system, among others. Given this new role, Janet recognized the necessity of modifying her lifestyle. She lost nearly 150 pounds and took up curling, a sport her husband used to play. Curling allows her to exercise and spend time with Herb, as he enjoys watching (and critiquing) her practices each week.
In addition to curling, Janet works very hard and is willing to do whatever possible to keep Herb active and engaged. When Janet heard there was a two-year waiting list for AD service dogs, she hired a trainer and bought Edith, a golden poodle — the recommended dog for this task. Edith is specially trained to bring Herb home from wherever he is, which allows him to take short walks on his own. Janet also spreads out errands such as grocery shopping as much as possible so that each week they can partake in outings Herb enjoys.
Janet understands the importance of finding time for herself. She plays golf, curls, or works on freelance projects while Herb is at day care or with his in-home care worker.
She recommends that all caregivers maintain a sense of humor to help cope with the inevitable changes that they and their loved ones will go through. Most of all, she encourages people in her situation not to give up hope.
Get the Free Guide
The Guide to Alzheimer's includes:
- What you should know about the disease
- Doctor discussion tips
- Information about a prescription treatment option
