CoA Member Byron Bair Named Director of Newly Created VA Western Region Rural Health Resource Center
Salt Lake City was one of three sites selected for a new satellite office of the VA Office of Rural Health. The selection process was competitive and based on factors that included: focusing on increasing quality and services for rural veterans; partnering with the academic and other non-VA entities; studies and projects having national applicability. Specific functions will include: conduct policy-oriented studies and analyses; function as field-based clinical laboratories for demonstration/pilot projects; serve as regional rural health experts; serve as a repository for rural information and facilitate information dissemination. Byron Bair, MD, will direct the Western Region Center; the areas of focus will be access and technology; the targeted populations are Native American and Geriatric. The Center will develop strong community collaborations and integrate various technologies including telehealth and web-based systems to achieve these goals and provide a more connected, more individualized comprehensive healthcare mechanism for rural veterans. Each center's budget is two million annually committed for five years. Anyone with an interest in research opportunities related to older people in rural areas is encouraged to contact Dr. Bair.
CoA Member Chosen as 2008 Hartford Faculty Scholar
Marilyn Luptak has been chosen as one of ten outstanding social work faculty members to be an inductee into the 2008 Hartford Faculty Scholars Program, a venture funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation, and administered by the Gerontological Society of America. The individuals who receive this distinction are provided with opportunities for professional development and $100,000 in funding over the next two years for research on topics related to improving health and care for older adults and their caregivers. Now in its ninth year, the award aims to improve the well-being of older adults by increasing the number of adequately trained geriatric social workers. Marilyn's research focus is "Caring for Older Adults with Depression: A Family Perspective."
CoA Member Recipient of 2008 Hartford Pre-Dissertation Award
Troy Andersen is one of 20 recipients of the 2008 Hartford Doctoral Fellows Pre-Dissertation Award. Each awardee will be given a stipend to attend GSA's Annual Scientific Meeting in both 2008 and 2009. At these conferences, awardees will attend workshops designed to develop their research skills and provide opportunities for successful careers in gerontological social work.
College of Nursing designated a John A. Hartford Foundation Geriatric Nursing Center of Excellence
On Friday, September 21, 2007 the Board of Directors of the John A. Hartford Foundation selected the University of Utah College of Nursing as a Hartford Center for Geriatric Nursing Excellence. Four new Centers of Excellence were added to the five currently funded by the Hartford Foundation. The University of Utah Hartford Center for Geriatric Nursing Excellence is designed to increase the number of faculty qualified to teach geriatric nursing through national and regional strategies. This five-year, $1 million dollar award will be augmented with significant investment in geriatric education by the University of Utah. Along with funding support comes the prestige of being affiliated with this nationally-recognized leader in the advancement of geriatric care and education. Ginette A. Pepper, PhD RN, FAAN will serve as the Center’s Executive Director. Patricia Berry, PhD, APRN,BC and Dale Lund, PhD, FGSA will serve as Associate Directors. All are Center on Aging members.
The University of Utah Hartford Center for Geriatric Nursing Excellence will have national impact by expanding the number of highly qualified geriatric nursing faculty prepared to teach in nursing programs throughout the country. A specialized program of study will utilize distance PhD education to prepare nurse scientists for teaching careers in research intensive universities. PhD students will attend classes via a sophisticated internet-based videoconferencing system that establishes a virtual classroom. Students can enroll from anywhere in the United States or Canada without re-locating to Utah. Using cutting-edge distance education technology to reach students throughout the nation, the College of Nursing will offer a PhD program to prepare faculty for major universities. Regionally, the master’s and Doctor of Nurse Practioner programs will educate faculty to prepare registered nurses and nurse practioners.
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Center receives NIA Geriatric Academic Leadership Award
Dr. Supiano is pleased to announce that a five-year K07 Geriatric Academic Leadership Award has been funded for $500,000 direct costs. The primary objective of this proposal to enhance the visibility and support for aging-related research at the University of Utah will be accomplished by achieving the following three specific aims.
- Specific Aim 1. Expand the number of investigators with aging-related research interests. The measurable goal for this aim is the increase in the number of investigators identified at the University of Utah with funded programs in aging-related research. The growth will occur through recruitment to four areas of research strength, developing new partnerships, and by career development.
- Specific Aim 2. Foster the development of new interdisciplinary collaborations in aging research. The Center will support an infrastructure to facilitate aging research by developing a registry for subject recruitment, providing administrative assistance, and developing a facility for exercise and rehabilitation protocols. Accomplishing this aim will be evaluated by the further development of the Center on Aging program, success of the pilot grant program, growth in the University’s aging research related grant portfolio, and funding for interdisciplinary research programs and center grant proposals.
- Specific Aim 3. Develop a multidisciplinary research training program in aging for pre- and post-doctoral trainees. The measurable outcomes for this aim are the number of trainees who participate in aging-related research, the development of the aging-research curriculum in the K30 program, and funding for a multidisciplinary T32 training grant focused on aging research.
The funding from this award added $50,000 to the 2007 pilot grant program and will enhance the infrastructure needed to further develop aging research programs. For example, a registry of individuals who are interested in participating in aging research studies is being developed. Subsequent newsletters will include information about this and other programs that are under development. Dr. Supiano would like to hear from you about your ideas about how the Center on Aging can better serve the needs of your aging research activities. He also values your help in advancing each of the award’s specific aims.
