Nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. They are mostly older adults, often with medical conditions, who live in close quarters with many other people. To curb the impacts of the virus on this …
rural
Home Is Where the HeART Coalition Is
“How can we address healthy aging within these communities in ways that are feasible, achievable, and relatively inexpensive, but also have a great impact?” asks Geana Shemak, MS, ATC, the community coordinator and educator for the …
Taking Stress in STRIDE: Learning How to Support Brain Health
“Almost everyone experiences stress,” says Megan Zuelsdorff, PhD, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing. “Stress is an underlying construct for a lot of my research. I think of it …
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 …
A Day in the Life of a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner
“How are you feeling today, Esther?” asks Sarah Endicott, DNP, APNP, GNP-BC. Endicott is starting her rounds at the rural skilled nursing facility where she sees patients once a week. “I’m Sarah, the nurse practitioner, …
Taking a Bite Out of Older Adult Malnutrition
“I work at a nursing home, so I see people coming in at all different ages,” says Kayla Olmstead, MS, a registered dietician who works in Wisconsin’s Chippewa and Barron Counties. “With some people, you …
Bringing Direct Care Staff Education Where It’s Needed Most: Rural Wisconsin
“I am always looking for affordable educational opportunities, but don’t find many that are close enough to attend,” said Kathryn Nachreiner, who has managed a residential care home in Plain, Sauk County, for 14 years. …
Students See Disaster and Resilience in Northern Wisconsin
Each spring, several University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing undergraduate students spend three weeks in northern Wisconsin with a faculty member, to learn about public health and nursing in rural communities. This year, they also …