Inaugural USU Brain Health Fair to Bring Together Experts and Northern Utah Community on June 13

The Emma Eccles Jones College of Education Human Services is hosting its first USU Brain Health Fair. The free event is open to the public and will be in the Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Clinical Excellence on the Logan campus on from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 13.

Shawn Whiteman, executive associate dean, said this will be a landmark for the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services and the first of what's hoped to be an annual event.

“Showcasing cutting-edge research at the intersection of healthy aging, cognitive and physical development and behavioral care, this event celebrates the innovative health-related work happening across our college,” Whiteman said. “Paired with the extensive clinical services offered through the Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Clinical Excellence, the fair highlights our strong commitment to applied research and learning as well as meaningful community impact.”

The USU Brain Health Fair aims to provide resources for anyone wanting to know about healthy aging, as well for people who are experiencing memory loss and those who care for them. Attendees can expect to learn about modifiable lifestyle behaviors to help combat cognitive decline, discover strategies to reduce their risk of dementia, and learn actionable steps to promote healthy aging and improve overall brain health.

The event is a collaboration between the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services, Intermountain Health, USU’s Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia Research Center (ADRC), and the Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Clinical Excellence. It will feature community partners and USU experts in psychology, aging, nursing, neuroscience, balance, hearing and more.

“Many people are aware of how to take care of their heart and their muscles as they age, but fewer people have knowledge and resources for maintaining their brain health,” said Beth Fauth, executive director of the ADRC. “We want to offer some of that education for our community through this event.”

Fauth said this event will showcase the research and services available at USU and with our community partners. The organizers want to help people understand where to go when they suspect memory changes might be occurring, or even where to go for support after a diagnosis.

“With healthy food, photography, and a variety of activities, we are also hoping it will be a fun event,” she added.

Attendees can

• Benefit from cooking demonstrations and sample diets focused on food for brain health.
• Receive free hearing screenings from local audiologists.
• View the human side of cognitive health at the Faces of Dementia photo exhibit.
• Participate in tai chi, chair yoga, and laughter yoga sessions.
• Visit a dedicated space just for family caregivers to find support, local resources and professional guidance for concerns they may have now or in the future.

Experts from Logan Regional Hospital, an Intermountain Health provider, will be on hand to share information on overall heart health, strokes, stopping the bleed, physical therapy and gerontology services.

Other community resources at the fair will include:

• The Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice.
• USU Extension.
• Alzheimer’s Association.
• Bear River Association on Aging.
• Cache Senior Center.
• The Utah Assistive Technology Program.

A highlight of the event will be a panel discussion led by Fauth and Landon Watts, physician of geriatric medicine and internal medicine at Intermountain Health. Their discussion is entitled “Memory Matters: How to Spot the Signs and Where to Find Support.” It will include a general overview of cognitive decline, early detection, cognitive tests, post-diagnosis support, caregiving resources and community support. The panel will be presented twice, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and each will conclude with a Q&A segment.

Both panelists are leading experts in aging and cognition. Passionate about helping his patients live healthy lives, Watts supports older adults in Northern Utah and Southeastern Idaho by treating frailty, gait disorders, falls, polypharmacy, malnutrition and more. Fauth, a professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, researches stress related to dementia caregiving and ways to support quality of life for persons living with dementia. She also assesses caregiver interventions.

Another major component of the Brain Health Fair is voluntary participation in an ongoing study — Prevent Alzheimer’s For Life Study, or PALS. The study is being conducted by an extensive team of USU researchers and led by JoAnn Tschanz, clinical neuropsychologist and professor in the Department of Psychology at USU. The second floor of the Sorenson Center will be dedicated to PALS.

The study is examining the impact of modifiable lifestyle factors on Alzheimer’s Disease. Participating experts will provide research-based strategies to prevent cognitive decline, encourage healthy lifestyles and enhance overall well-being. Eleven lifestyle factors — the backbone of the data being collected — will be highlighted at the fair. These lifestyle factors are diet, strength and physical activity, balance, stress and wellbeing, sleep, chronic pain, aging, social activity, cognition, hearing, and overall health.

Fair attendees may visit booths that focus on each of these factors and speak directly with researchers. All informational booths and study-related activities on the second floor of the Sorenson Center will be available to fair attendees, even if they are not enrolled in the study.

Entrance to the Brain Health Fair and on-campus parking at the Sorenson Center are free of charge. Visit the USU Brain Health Fair website to access driving directions, a schedule of events and more. Visit the PALS website to learn how to enroll in the study prior to the USU Brain Health Fair.