Lena Smith, M.A., LBSW, LNHA, PhD Candidate
Lena Smith has twenty-four years of experience working with seniors and an expertise in long-term care, dementia care programs and facility design. Lena’s experience has included direct medical social work, facility management, and program design for numerous facilities and levels of care within the long-term care continuum. Lena was the founder and managing partner for The Cottages of Albuquerque, New Mexico’s first specialty care facility for moderate and advanced dementia residents. This facility received the AHCA’s Quality Award and was the first assisted living facility in the country to have this distinction. Lena also teaches at the University of New Mexico and Webster University, Albuquerque, in the area of gerontology & family science. Lena’s dissertation research includes the topics of aging, dementia, coping strategies, agitation, quality of life, and spirituality. She has been asked to present on these topics for numerous organizations including the national Alzheimer’s Association, numerous state affiliates of the American Health Care Association, National Association of Professional Geriatric Case Managers, and The National Council on Aging and American Society on Aging joint conference.
