The University of Southern Indiana and SWIRCA and More, the local agency on aging, will present the 18th annual Mid-America Institute on Aging and Wellness (MAIA) on the USI campus Thursday and Friday, August 7-8.  

MAIA is a two-day gerontology conference for healthcare and social service professionals, healthcare administrators, clinicians, older adults or retirees, family members providing care for a loved one, students and anyone who wants to learn tips for leading a healthier life. Each year, national and local speakers provide practical tools and groundbreaking information related to successful aging and wellness.  

For those unable to be at the conference in person, the MAIA registration form will include an option to virtually attend the three keynote presentations (given by Dr. Aaron Blair, Faith Bresnan Roberts and Dr. Jeremy Holloway). 

Each year, USI’s Bronstein Center for Healthy Aging and Wellness is proud to sponsor the Bronstein Keynote Speaker at the MAIA conference. To advance the educational mission of the Bronstein Center, the Bronstein Keynote must be a content expert in the area of dementia or advance care planning (ACP).  

This year’s Bronstein Keynote is Dr. Aaron Blair, a graduate of Indiana University School of Medicine and Franciscan Family Medicine Residency, where he focused on geriatric medicine. His current practice is outpatient family medicine with nursing home care in Dale, Indiana. In his presentation, he will go through the diagnosis of dementia along with current treatments used to help patients with dementia and delirium. 

The 2025 MAIA lineup also includes the following: 

• Faith Bresnan Roberts, a nurse who has practiced in varied settings, served as faculty and presented at state, regional, national and international conferences. The title of her presentation is From Wedding Rings to Nose Rings … Generational Differences. 

• Dr. Jeremy Holloway, Professor at New Mexico Highlands University. The focus of his research is concentrated on the social determinants of health, specifically self-efficacy, connectedness and resiliency of older adults. The title of his presentation is Solutions to Isolation and Loneliness for Caregivers and Older Adults. 

• A screening of the Netflix documentary, Join or Die, followed by a discussion with the film’s director. This film recently received two nominations (for outstanding writing and graphic design) for the 2025 Documentary Emmy® Awards. Join or Die focuses on the decline of community connections in America and its impact on social isolation. 

“The Join or Die documentary emphasizes how civic engagement can help reduce social isolation, particularly for older adults and college students,” says Dr. Kevin Valadares, USI Professor and Chair of Graduate Health Administration. “Screening this documentary, along with Jeremy Holloway’s keynote presentation, underscores the significance of these efforts in enhancing overall well-being. Plus, this year’s pre-conference is also connected to the theme of reducing loneliness.” 

The MAIA pre-conference on Wednesday, August 6 is a Circle of Friends® Facilitator Training. Participants will explore how to apply evidence-based group interventions to support older adults facing loneliness. Nursing home staff and community members interested in implementing a Circle of Friends® program are invited to register at USI.edu/maia/pre-con. This pre-conference workshop is free for attendees with support from the USI Bronstein Center for Healthy Aging and Wellness and the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP). 

To register for the two-day conference, August 7-8, visit USI.edu/maia. The cost is $135 per day or $250 both days if registering before Wednesday, July 23. Discounted registration is available for retirees and graduate students ($65 per day) and undergraduate students ($25 per day).