Nearly all of us want to stay in our home as we age. There are benefits to doing so. Our family and friends are more likely to be nearby. We know where to find our …
Newsletter
Public Health, Partnerships, and Prevention During the Pandemic
Public health practitioners across Wisconsin can now estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in their communities. By looking at color-coded maps based on health care data, they can tell how many people in a single …
Ombudsman Advocacy and Nurse Leadership in Long-Term Care
“An ombudsman is the voice of the people—that’s the literal translation of the word,” Kim Marheine tells some 150 undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing. Marheine oversees Wisconsin’s long-term care ombudsman …
Flex that Memory Muscle: Three Partners Promote Healthy Aging
“Today we’re continuing to focus on strategies that help us maintain and even improve our brain health,” says University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing student Laura Block. “Today’s brain health strategy is sleep,” says Block, …
Unleashing the Force of Transitional and Home Care
Dwayne Dobschuetz, APRN, Geriatric Nurse Practitioner at Northwestern Medicine and University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing alumnus, remembers the day his career changed. He had worked in Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s emergency department for nearly 20 …
Collaboration as a Passport to Older Adult Safety
It could be the beginning of a joke: A nurse and an engineer walk into an emergency department. In reality, it’s a powerful partnership for healthcare innovations. “If you want to design something that’s actually …
Respite: Family Caregivers Deserve a Break Today
“You have got your own space.” “A weight is lifted off my shoulder.” “It’s lovely just being independent for once.” These quotes show the importance of respite care to family caregivers of older adults (Ashworth …
Aging in the Heart of Rural Wisconsin
Rural communities are aging more rapidly than are other areas, in Wisconsin and across the country. Nearly everyone wants to stay in their community as they age. Increasingly, rural leaders are asking how they can …
Nurses on the Frontlines of Addressing Elder Abuse
Cecilia’s son told her that the government had stopped sending her Social Security checks. Concerned, Cecilia talked to another family member, who had noticed the son making big-ticket purchases. It didn’t take long to figure …
What Does Healthy Aging Look Like for Autistic Adults?
Older adults with an autism diagnosis are a relatively new phenomenon. The first person ever diagnosed with autism, Donald Triplett, is now 85 years old. Donald has lived a full life, graduating from college, working …