Jeanette E. Benigas, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at West Chester University (Pennsylvania), USA. She has worked extensively as a speech-language pathologist in pediatrics in both private practice and school settings and with adults in post-acute, long-term care, and home health settings. In her work with adults, Dr. Benigas has pursued research into improving quality of life for persons with dementia, particularly related to eating and swallowing impairments. Her research has focused on evaluating reading comprehension abilities in people with dementia for use of visual aids and using Spaced Retrieval to teach swallowing strategies to avoid unwanted dietary modifications. She speaks nationally to fellow speech-language pathologists and continues to practice privately. With a bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from The University of Toledo, USA and a master’s degree in the field from Eastern Michigan University, Dr. Benigas completed a Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Science and Interdisciplinary Specialization in Aging from The Ohio State University, USA.
Jennifer A. Brush, M.A., CCC-SLP, understands the particular needs of healthcare organizations and families engaged in dementia care and brings more than 20 years of experience as both a leading researcher and direct-care coach in this complex field. She is a nationally recognized speech-language pathologist known for her work in the areas of memory and environmental interventions for people with dementia. She has served as the principal investigator on applied research grants that examined issues pertaining to HIV/AIDS dementia, hearing impairment, dining, swallowing disorders, and the long-term care environment. Ms. Brush has served as Chair of the Professional Development Committee of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association Gerontology Special Interest Division and on the Editorial Review Board of SpeechPathology.com. Jennifer is co-author of the books: I Care; Environment and Communication Assessment Toolkit (ECAT) for Dementia Care; Creative Connections in Dementia Care; and Spaced Retrieval Step by Step.
Gail Elliot, BASc, M.A., Gerontologist and Dementia Specialist, is the Founder and CEO of DementiAbility Enterprises, Inc., an online service connecting research with practice in the field of dementia to enhance functioning and provide meaningful engagement for people with dementia. Previously Assistant Director at the Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging at McMaster University (Ontario), USA, she retired in 2012 to pursue the lifelong goal of changing the face of dementia by helping people live to their full potential. Resources and strategies developed by Elliot are used across Canada and internationally. Her DementiAbility and Communication courses are included in McMaster University’s Geriatric Certificate Program and she works closely with the Occupational Therapists Association of Hong Kong, Montessori Australia Foundation, and alongside colleagues in the United States. She is author of Montessori Methods for Dementia: Focusing on the Person in the Prepared Environment, Memory Aids for Dementia, Helping Me…Helping You: Practical Approaches for Caregivers, and she is the co-author of Checklist for Change: A Guide for Facilitating Culture Change in Long-Term Care. She is also editor of many titles available in the Carry on Reading in Dementia series
