CARE at the UW-Madison School of Nursing
“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, …
“As a caregiver, I can speak to the fact that life is intense,” says Traci Edmondson. Edmondson is the dementia care specialist for Calumet and Outagamie counties in Wisconsin. She also cared for her husband while he was living with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. “You are always on. You are always caregiving,” she says. “You don’t …
“We all know healthy behaviors are important, but sometimes they’re not our first choice,” says Wan-chin Kuo, PhD, RN, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing. Everyone enjoys treats that aren’t so healthy. But imagine if most days you couldn’t get a good night’s sleep, or eat a home-cooked meal, or …
The following is an excerpt from the “Planning for your hospital” section of the Dementia Friendly Hospital Toolkit developed by CARE and clinical and research faculty at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing. As we developed CARE’s Dementia Friendly Hospital Toolkit, we learned from two Wisconsin hospitals with their own dementia friendly initiatives: the …
“I used to introduce myself by saying I am an elder in denial and I’m also a recovering Tribal Chairman,” laughs Karen Washinawatok. She’s no longer in denial. In November, Washinawatok spent a week at the University of Wisconsin–Madison as this year’s Elder-in-Residence. During Native American Heritage Month, the UW–Madison American Indian and Indigenous Studies …
As we age, our healthcare needs often change. For example, we might experience hearing loss or chronic pain. We might want to engage in advance care planning. Now imagine that simply communicating with healthcare providers is a struggle. What would you do to meet your health needs? University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing Assistant Professor …
“How will we remember this pandemic?” asked Susan McFadden, PhD, Professor Emerita of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. “And how will we act on the lessons we have learned?” She was speaking to UW–Madison students and community members about the suffering and resilience of older people in response to COVID-19. McFadden’s career includes …
“I don’t want this to happen to anyone else, so I got involved,” says Rosie Bartel. Bartel describes herself as a wife, mother, grandmother, and educator. She’s also a patient advisor to health researchers and scholars, drawing on her own devastating healthcare experiences. “In August of 2009 I underwent a total right knee replacement that …
As we age, our cells accumulate damage. Over time, the damage can lead to disease, disability, or death. Yet time does not affect everyone’s cells equally. Some public health practitioners argue that time should be considered one of the social determinants of health. “Aging and racism is not about Black people who are old,” says …
In June 2020, University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing graduate student Courtney Maurer, DNP, RN was coming up with ideas for her year-long scholarly project. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, student access to care settings was far from guaranteed. Maurer wanted to make sure that she could carry out her project and produce something that …