“Coming into this course, I didn’t fully understand how policy and nursing intertwined,” says Laura Vergenz, BSN, RN. Now, she sees “how engaging in advocacy, whether at the local, state, national, or international level, is part of our role as nurses. … Advocacy leverages the nursing perspective to support healthy systems and healthy communities.” Vergenz …
What do direct care staff need to know to support older people’s health and well-being? The quotes above are what direct care staff participants say was the most useful thing they learned during recent CARE U workshops. Since 2014, the Center for Aging Research and Education (CARE) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing …
“The more we address ageism in our society, the more we’re all going to live longer, healthier lives,” says Julie Ober Allen, PhD, MPH, an Assistant Professor of Health Promotion and Health Equity in the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Kinesiology. Allen studies how sources of chronic stress, including ageism and other forms of discrimination, …
There’s a new Certificate in Aging Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. How could it benefit nursing students? “Having an area of expertise, especially one geared towards a huge need in healthcare, is an asset to students as they’re moving into the workforce,” says Sarah Endicott, DNP, RN, APNP, PMHNP-BC, GNP-BC. “If students want to …
Fewer than one percent of U.S. nurses works in correctional facilities. Yet, clinicians across care settings see the health impacts of incarceration, says Kristin Merss, PhD, RN, a postdoctoral trainee at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, 1.9 million people are behind bars in the United States. Nearly …
“I am a dedicated and passionate person about making a difference—not only in my community, but in the world,” says Edith Lawrence-Hilliard. “Volunteerism is one of my great loves and being active in my community is a real privilege for me. I am committed.” Lawrence-Hilliard is a lifelong Madison resident who works to uplift marginalized …
“In the world of research, we usually get asked [for input] after the questions are already formed,” says Mary, a member of the Madison Board of Older Adult Advisors (BOAA). “So, to include us from the very beginning of the process—I just feel it’s imperative!” The Madison BOAA—like their colleagues on the Rural BOAA in …
Receiving care shouldn’t come at the cost of an individual’s dignity, sense of self, or autonomy—especially when the care setting is the person’s home, as in long-term care. That’s why nursing home residents, families, and others have for decades advocated for person-centered care. Person-centered care is being “responsive to individuals and their goals, values, and …
“Aging and health issues change life’s choices and limit our options. But we must adapt and learn new ways to stay healthy and active. … I want researchers to know that aging requires that adaptability. But the system can make things better for aging people too.” “You see the color of my skin. You see …
“Environmental stresses reinforce existing physical and social vulnerabilities, and this is of particular concern for older adults,” says Michal Engelman, PhD, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for Demography of Health and Aging at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Climate change and its associated weather extremes have implications for people of all ages. However, …