Join Chicago Scots for a Leadership Symposium in partnership with The Center for Gerontology at Concordia University Chicago.
Dementia cases in the United States and globally are projected to rise dramatically in the coming decades. While this trend is closely tied to longer lifespans and improved detection, it also underscores an urgent need for the memory care sector to evolve. Innovation, investment, and new forms of collaboration will be essential to meet the expanding and complex needs of individuals and families affected by dementia.
On December 5, join the Chicago Scots and Caledonia Senior Living & Memory Care for an in-depth dialogue with experts from Scotland and the US who are shaping the future of brain health and dementia care.
AGENDA
Welcome
Setting the Scene
Panel: Policy, Advocacy, and the Law
Panel: Architecture, Nature, and Community
Panel: Lifestyle, Culture, and the Future of Care
Keynote Address and Fireside Chat with The Right Honourable Henry McLeish
WHEN
Friday, December 5, 2025
8:30AM-12:30PM
WHERE
Concordia University Chicago
Center for Gerontology
7400 Augusta St.
River Forest, IL 60305
Map and Directions
ATTEND IN-PERSON OR ONLINE
The symposium is complimentary but advance registration is required. Seating is limited.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
The Russell & Josphine Kott Memorial Charitable Trust
Scottish Government USA
Distinguished Speaker & Moderator
The Right Honourable Henry McLeish will share reflections from his remarkable journey, offering perspective on Scotland’s groundbreaking approach to brain health and dementia care.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Henry McLeish
Former First Minister of Scotland
Ambassador, Alzheimer Scotland
MODERATOR
Gus Noble OBE
President & CEO
Chicago Scots
Caledonia Senior Living & Memory Care
Setting the Scene
A big picture look at implications associated with individual and population aging.
SPEAKER
Dr. Stuart Jay Olshansky
Professor, School of Public Health
University of Illinois at Chicago
Biodemography and Gerontology
Policy, Advocacy, and the Law
The dementia and memory care sector must continually evolve to meet the growing needs of society. Achieving this progress begins with strong policy and legal foundations. What does an effective, top-down framework look like? How can we better inform, engage, and empower communities? How does our community advocate for the right policies both today and in the years ahead?
SPEAKERS
Delia Jervier
Regional Vice President, Executive Director
Alzheimer’s Association Illinois
James Pearson
Deputy Chief Executive
Alzheimer’s Scotland
Kerry Peck
Peck Ritchey, LLC
Chair, Illinois Supreme Court
Commission on Elder Law
Architecture, Nature, and Community
As science deepens our understanding of brain health, innovation is also transforming how we engage with – and design – spaces for care to support those facing memory loss. From architecture to community planning, the built, natural and social environments we create and live within can profoundly influence well-being. What success can be found at the intersection of care, design, and culture?
SPEAKERS
Lesley Palmer
Professor of Ageing and Dementia Design
Dementia Services Development Centre
University of Stirling, Scotland
Dr. Raj Shah
Professor, Family & Preventive Medicine
Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center
Rush University Medical Center, RUSH
Dr. David Victorson
Professor of Medical Social Sciences, and Director of the Flourishing in Society and Health Research Lab in the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University
Lifestyle, Culture, and the Future of Care
Dementia is a universal condition, but its impact is deeply shaped by cultural, social, and economic factors. How do different communities navigate this journey? Who remain underrepresented or unseen, and what wisdom can we draw from caregivers who confront these challenges every day? How does lifestyle and nutrition affect brain health?
SPEAKERS
Dr. Paul A. Cox
Executive Director
Brain Chemistry Labs
Ethnobotany and Drug Discovery
Tessa Garcia McEwen
AM, LCSW, CDP
Quality of Life & Family Support Services
The Memory Center
University of Chicago Medicine
Lisa Peters-Beumer
Director of Operations, The Center for Gerontology
Executive Director, Kott Gerontology Scholars Program
Every year at our Scottish Festival & Highland Games, the Chicago Scots feature a family or an organization as our Honored Clan. This year, to recognize and celebrate its’ strong Scottish roots, our Honored Clan is Rotary International. We are proud to announce that Rotary International’s Scottish President, Gordon McInally has agreed to lead our Parade of Tartans at 12:30 p.m. Gordon will also receive the Salute to the Chieftain from the Massed Pipe Bands at approximately 6.30pm on Saturday, June 15, 2024.