Jonna has worked with seniors and their families in the community, assisted living, and skilled nursing facilities for the last 20 years. Jonna has developed and implemented family and staff support programs to better educate familial as well professional care-givers about the management of cognitively impaired individuals. She also conducted person-centered trainings for community workers and assisted living and nursing home staff as part of quality improvement programs.

Jonna has focused her attention on treating individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.  She has extensive knowledge of the aging process and the emotional toll that physical and cognitive changes take on the person and the family. Jonna prioritizes the individual needs of the patients and thereby designs a personalized care plan based on the comprehensive assessment of their cognitive and behavioral functioning. The goal of treatment is validation through re-focusing on individual strengths in order to decrease anxiety and depression, address both short-term and long-term memory deficits, and improve overall quality of life.

Work Experience

• Director of Alzheimer’s Services at Bronzeville Park Skilled Nursing and Living Center
• Worked as a Clinician at IGPS
• Staff Education Coordinator at Bronzeville Park Skilled Nursing and Living Center
• Case Manager at Southwest Suburban Center on Aging
• Therapeutic Recreation Specialist at Manor Care Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

Certifications/Licenses

• She received her LCPC in 2001.
• She is a Certified Care Manager with the National Academy of Care Managers.
• Jonna is also is a Certified Dementia Practitioner with the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners.

Education

• Masters of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology, Roosevelt University – Chicago, IL
• Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, Eastern Illinois University – Charleston, IL