CARE at the UW-Madison School of Nursing
“I’ve had the opportunity to see dementia care from different perspectives and in different settings,” says Andrea Gilmore-Bykovskyi, PhD, RN, an alumna of and incoming assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing. While an undergraduate student, Gilmore-Bykovskyi worked as a CNA in a nursing home. “To this day, that probably was my …
In many ways, ageism is similar to other forms of discrimination. Images, language and widely-held expectations communicate and reinforce negative stereotypes about a large, diverse group of people. “How many times have you heard your parents say, ‘Oh gosh, I’m having a senior moment,’” Betsy Abramson asks students at an event organized by the University …
For Yvette Egan, MS, RN, creating a learning experience that pairs nursing students with healthy, community-dwelling older adults was in the cards. Literally. Egan, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing, felt inspired after participating in the Facilitated Learning to Advance Geriatrics (FLAG) program in 2011. (Our winter 2014 issue …
In the United States, older adults have more than one-third of all operations. Each year, some 500,000 elders consider major surgery, such as coronary bypasses or organ transplants. As people are leading not only longer but also healthier lives, physicians are more likely to suggest aggressive treatment options for older adults. Many elders benefit from …
“I had never considered working with older adults because I thought it would be sad and depressing, but now I have completely changed my mind.” That was the impact on one University of Wisconsin–Madison undergraduate of volunteering with the Music and Memory Program, as part of her independent study with the School of Nursing’s Center …
“By the age of seventy, on average people have at least two chronic conditions. Many will have more than that,” says Parminder Raina, PhD, the director of the McMaster Institute of GeroScience in Ontario, Canada, and a professor of clinical epidemiology and biostatistics. He spoke at the Annual Colloquium on Aging in September, organized by …
Whether you’re a health care professional, direct care worker, or housing or service provider, the conversations that you have with older adults can help identify potential mental health issues. “It’s about forging relationships,” says Earlise Ward, PhD, a licensed psychologist and faculty director of the Cancer Health Disparities Initiative at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Carbone …
Considering his passion for home health care, it’s surprising that it wasn’t Troy Lawrence’s initial career plan. “Looking back at my undergrad experiences, I was in that group of people who were determined to be an ER or an ICU nurse,” says Lawrence, who received his BSN from the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing …
“What is person-centered care?” asked Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, an occupational therapist and nationally renowned dementia care educator with clinical appointments at Duke University’s School of Nursing and the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill’s School of Medicine. “It’s really a lot, but when it comes to dementia, it’s essential. It’s what every one of …
“Everything is intensified when cure isn’t possible,” explains University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing Professor Kris Kwekkeboom, PhD, RN. “Even small changes are important.” That understanding drives Kwekkeboom’s research into non-drug interventions to ease pain and other challenging symptoms towards the end of life. Even slight improvements in their quality of life can mean a …