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Initiatives
GERIATRICS
"The growth in the number and proportion of older adults is unprecedented in the history of the United States...
By 2030, older adults will account for roughly 20% of the U.S. population."
"Individuals 65 years and over constitute approximately 13.1% of the American population;
however, 20% of the elderly live in non metropolitan designated areas."
TRAINING FUTURE PROFESSIONALS
TO TREAT THE GERIATRIC POPULATION
1. Give Doctors Tools for Geriatric Patients
2. Wrap Around Services for Dementia & Alzheimer's
3. Disseminate Information
4. Partnership & Collaboration with Purdue & FSSA
5. Preventing Trauma
1. Give Doctors Tools for Geriatric Patients
RESIDENCY CURRICULUM
UHFMR expanded its geriatrics curriculum to include lectures and didactic sessions specifically geared toward working with the geriatric population that incorporates the GRACE model (Geriatric Resources for Assessment and Care of Elders). GRACE is a nationally recognized model of primary care for low-income seniors. Residency Director, Steven McDonald, MD, is a recognized leader in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease for primary care physicians and spearheaded an effort to work outside of the UHFMR to train a large population of care givers. Residents participate in didactic sessions that encompass components from the American Academy of Family Physicians. Experiential modules have been created and are executed at the Rural Health Innovation Collaborative (RHIC) Simulation Center. These modules allow residents to apply knowledge in a structured environment with feedback.
2. Wrap Around Services for Dementia & Alzheimer's
MEMORY & AGING CENTER
The Memory & Aging Center, located within the UHFMR facility, provides specialized services to patients who are referred to the Center by local physicians. The Center, staffed by UHFMR Faculty and UHFMR Residents, combines UHFMR initiatives with Indiana State University (ISU) learners. The UHFMR Residents work with PsyD students from ISU who administer psychological and cognitive tests at the clinic with patients. The students and residents work together to analyze the results which gives Residents the ability to discuss the patient's diagnosis with their family. The Residents work with other health professionals and UHFMR Faculty who support patients at the Center with expertise in pharmacy, occupational therapy, and social work. Partnering with ISU Occupational Therapy students who administer patients' ability to drive via a driving simulator provides a clear assessment of the patients' ability to drive (or not drive). The Center also provides guidance and resources for caregivers of patients and works with local resources. The Center allows a geriatric patient to receive a diagnosis and a comprehensive treatment plan from most, if not all, facets of the healthcare industry. Visit the Memory and Aging Center's website here.
2017 Alzheimer's Facts & Figures
Alzheimer's Association
GERIATRIC SYMPOSIUM
3. Disseminate Information
The Lugar Center in Collaboration with the UHFMR and West Central Indiana AHEC hosted the Symposium on Aging Keynote Speaker, Dr. Daniel Bateman, MD, spoke on Caring for the Dementia Caregiver. Following several years of practice as a geriatric psychiatrist, Dr. Bateman became a clinician-scientist focusing on Alzheimer’s disease (AD). He serves as a co-investigator on the Indiana Alzheimer Disease Center (IADC) Outreach and Recruitment (OR) Core and contributes to the IADC Clinical Core. other presentations included Substance Abuse in the Elderly and two presentations from the Alzheimer's Association. This was the third Geriatric Symposium hosted by the Lugar Center, UHFMR, and West Central Indiana AHEC. For the full story click here.
INCREASING EDUCATION & EFFECIENCES
4. Partnership & Collaboration with Purdue & FSSA
Union Health Partners with Purdue Healthcare Advisors, Meadows Manor East, Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice of the Wabash Valley, and Westminster Village to establish the First Small Care Neighborhood in Indiana.
The Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering (RCHE) at Purdue University is working with select organizations in the Wabash Valley to improve the quality and cost of healthcare services for Medicaid patients. For the full story click here.
5. Preventing Trauma
Making Homes Safer
The Lugar Center in Collaboration with the Union Health Foundation was awarded funds from the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority: Neighborhood Assistance Program. These funds are being utilized for at-risk, low income individuals to prevent the financial and physical impact of injury. The program includes safety interventions in the home, teaching safe practices and providing resources for youth, improvement in quality of life for those with disabilities or limitations, and education. The target population consists of individuals and families living at or near the federal poverty level, which includes, but is not limited to, those living in independent or assisted living facilities, adults, and children.