Physician | Educator | Advocate
Dr Susan Wehry is a nationally recognized keynote speaker and workshop facilitator on depression, dementia, and healthy aging.
Her presentations combine over 30 years experience with wisdom, compassion, and common sense, to engage attendees, help build skills, and use proven techniques.
In 2002 and 2007, Susan helped the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) develop national programming on mental health and individualized care-planning in nursing homes.
In 2009, she authored Oasis, an interdisciplinary person-centered curriculum that has helped transform dementia care, support mental health recovery, and reduce inappropriate antipsychotic use. She has actively partnered with CMS in the national initiative to improve dementia care.
During her tenure as Commissioner, the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living expanded home and community-based services (including the award-winning SASH program), and Vermont rose to number one in national AHRQ senior health rankings. Dr Wehry was honored to represent Vermont at the 2015 White House Conference on Aging.
Since 2017, Susan Wehry MD is Chief of Geriatrics, University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine.
2020 Events
Sounds of Silence: Ending the Stigma of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2nd Annual Conference of the Occupational Therapy Association of Morocco, January 4, 2020, Tangier, Morocco.
Healthy Aging, Guthrie’s Women in Medicine Winter Retreat, February 8, 2020, Nichols, New York.
Safe/Unsafe Leaving, (Webinar) Constellation Mutual, February 19, 2020
Behavior is Communication and Quality of Life, Peace and Mind, Maine HealthCare Association, February 27, March 5 and March 12, 2020, Portland, Augusta and Houlton, Maine.
Deep Dive, VA Learning Intensive, (Webinar) CONCERT Consultations, April 13-May 31, 2020.
Mental Health: Regaining Confidence and Control, (Webinar) LeadingAge Learning Hub, June 4, 2020.
Safe/Unsafe Leaving, (Webinar) Pioneer Hot Topics, August 20, 2020.
Safe/Unsafe Leaving, The Way of the Posey, and Reimagining Dementia as Disability, (Webinar) Texas Health and Human Services, August 31, 2020.
Trauma-Informed Care in the Wake of a Pandemic, (Webinar) Pioneer Network, September 3, 2020.
2019 Events
Meeting the Challenge of Challenging Behavior, CONCERT Learning Intensive, January 14, 2019, Birmingham, Alabama.
Trauma Informed Care, (Webinar) Pioneer Culture Change in Action, January 24, 2019.
Compassion, Not Control, Maine Occupational Therapy Association, April 25, 2020, Martin’s Point, Maine.
Dependency and Self-Determination Reconsidered, LeadingAge Leadership Summit, March 19, 2019, Washington, DC.
Put Your Oxygen Mask on First, (Webinar), IHI Dementia Care, March 21, 2019.
Healthy Brain Initiative, Maine Alzheimer’s Summit, April 22-23, 2019, Point Lookout Resort, Northport, Maine.
Engaging Aging, The Cedars, May 2, 2019, Portland, Maine.
Mind the Brain, 70th Annual Conference & Expo, NYSHFA/NYCAL, May 6, 2019, Verona, New York.
Trauma-Informed Care: Resilience and Vulnerability, (Webinar) HealthCentric Advisors, May 8 & 22, 2019
Mind the Brain! and Enhancing Quality of Life with Digital Technology, New Hampshire Health Care Association, May 8, 2019, Meridith, New Hampshire.
Quality End-of-Life Care and Sounds of Silence, A Map through the Maze Conference, Alzheimer’s Association, May 22, 2019, Worcester, Massachusetts.
Meeting the Challenge of Challenging Behavior, (Webinar), CONCERT Learning Intensive, June 10-14, 2019
Sounds of Silence, Dementia Action Alliance, June 20, 2019, Atlanta, Georgia.
Reimaging Dementia, Charting the Future Conference, Southern Maine Agency on Aging, September 13, 2019, South Portland, Maine.
Engaging Ageing and Does Asking for Help Make Me Look Helpless?, Mercy Network on Aging 18th National Conference on Aging, October 3-5, 2019, Buffalo, New York.
Healthy Outcomes Start Now, (Panel Discussion), United States Senate, October 10, 2019, Bangor, Maine.
Behavior is Communication and Safe/Unsafe Leaving, 70th AHCA/NCAL Convention and Expo, October 13-16, 2019, Orlando, Florida.
When We Know Better, We Do Better, 2019 York County Elder Abuse Task Force Annual Conference, October 18, 2019, Kennebunkport, Maine.
Hearing and Experiencing the Untold Story, Maine Council On Aging, October 21, 2019, Concord, New Hampshire.
What is High Quality Dementia Care?, Maine Clinical Geriatic Colloquium, October 28, 2019, Orono, Maine.
Gray Matters, Ethical Decision-Making, LeadingAge Annual Meeting & Expo, October 30, 2019, San Diego, California.
Taking the Mystery Out of Mental Illness, Consumer Voice 43rd Annual Conference, November 5, 2019, Arlington, Virginia.
Person-Centered Dementia Care: Fad or Foundation, (Webinar) STAR-VA, December 2, 2019
2018 Events
Who’s Old, What’s Old?, Sunrise Senior Living, Annual Congress, February 7, 2018.
Silence and Alzheimer’s Disease, Framing the Discussion, Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia 2018 Conference for Professionals, May 23, 2018, Worcester, Massachusetts.
Understanding Mental Illness, (Webinar) Sunrise Senior Living, June 16, 2018.
Engaging Aging, NYS Association of Resident Service Coordinators, June 8 2018, Saratoga, New York.
Finding the Balance: Enhancing Self-Efficacy in Persons Living with Dementia, (Webinar), American Society on Aging, June 26, 2018.
Put Your Oxygen Mask on First, (Webinar) South Carolina Initiative to Improve Dementia Care and Eliminate Off-Label Antipsychotics, August 21-23, 2018.
Let’s Celebrate Connection, Maine Health Care Association Excellence Awards, September 21, 2018, Augusta, Maine.
Mental Health Tapas and Mind the Brain, AHCA/NCAL, October 9, 2018, San Diego, California.
Ascend to New Heights: Achieving Excellence in Behavioral Health, Healthcentric Advisors and SUMHLC, December 4, 2018, Warwick, Rhode Island