Lugar Center, West Central Indiana AHEC, and UHFMR Host Geriatrics Symposium

In what has been termed the “Silver Tsunami” the generation of baby

boomers are getting older and will stretch the capabilities of the healthcare system. Rural communities compared to urban communities are older, sicker, and have less opportunities to receive adequate healthcare. The Lugar Center and its partners continue to address health disparities for rural communities through providing healthcare professionals the opportunity to supplement their education. On September 28, the Lugar Center in collaboration with Union Hospital Family Medicine Residency and West Central Indiana AHEC hosted a Geriatrics Symposium at the Landsbaum Center for Health Education.

The Symposium targeted any health professional working with the Geriatric population and was free to attend. The event featured world renowned Alzheimer Disease researcher, Dr. Gregory Day, who is a clinical researcher at the Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in St. Louis. Day spoke on current trends in diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease in patients as well as the prominence of the disease and other dementias in the Geriatric population. Participants at the Symposium enjoyed keynote addresses from Dr. Day and Dr. Steven McDonald (UHFMR Program Director). After lunch attendees chose two of six breakout sessions to attend. The Breakout Session topics included:

• Opioid/Substance Abuse in the Elderly

• Elderly Abuse

• Psychometric Testing

• Pain, Depression, and Mild Cognitive Impairment

• Caring for the Caregiver

• Geriatric Trauma

The Plenary Panel from the Memory and Aging Center.

The Symposium concluded with an Interprofessional Practice Plenary Panel made up of the UHFMR Memory and Aging Center professionals. The panel addressed questions as to their specific role at the Memory and Aging Center and how individuals are diagnosed, treated, and how referrals to the Center are handled. For more information on the Memory and Aging Center visit their website at www.memoryandagingcenter.org

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