Kimberly Van Haitsma, PhD, has been selected as the recipient of the Gerontological Society Association's 2024 Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSS) Section Distinguished Career Contribution to Gerontology Award. This award is presented to an individual whose contributions over the course of his or her career have articulated a novel theoretical or methodological perspective or synthesis that addresses a significant problem in the literature. Dr. Van Haitsma’s areas of research include developing and testing various mental health education and intervention approaches, innovative methodological and measurement development, and testing intervention and implementation strategies that facilitate the uptake of evidence-based, person-centered preference-informed care practices targeting older adults with multiple chronic care conditions. She developed the Preferences for Everyday Living Inventory (PELI), a scientifically validated tool that assists providers and researchers in learning about what is most important to older adults. PELI has been disseminated nationally and internationally to support preference-congruent care to older adults and persons living with chronic health challenges.

Welcome to Dr. Sangwoo Ahn, Assistant Professor, whose research focuses on physical activity in person with Mild Cognitive Impairment

The Alzheimer's Association selected Dr. Ahn to participate in their Interdisciplinary Summer Research Institute (AA-ISRI). Dr. Ahn was one of 24 applicants selected for this auspicious opportunity.

Health Resources and Services

Administration

Dr. Miyamoto's HRSA award has been renewed for three more years. This project, The Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Telehealth (SAFE-T) Center for Advancement of SANE Workforce, aims to expand the impact of the Center for SANE Workforce Advancement and our successful Advanced Nursing Education-Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (ANE-SANE) training, precepting, and telehealth consultation program. We will continue using our innovative telehealth technology for 24/7 access to training and live examination precepting, allowing us to support novice SANEs in areas with little to no expertise.

Ying-Ling Jao, PhD, RN, FGSA presented an invited keynote speech at the International Conference for Design for Aging Society in Taiwan. Her speech addressed "Leveraging Technology to Advance Dementia Care." This is an interdisciplinary conference with attendees, from Taiwan, Singapore, and Japan, in healthcare, aging, technology, industrial design, architecture, and beyond.

The Nese College of Nursing has been a key partner with the Penn State College of Medicine for the past three years, implementing Long-Term Care (LTC) RISE, funded by the PA Department of Health. During AY23/24, the team will be implementing a leadership network for administrators and directors of nursing, certificate programs in diabetes management and wound care, and Project ECHO education sessions on a variety of quality improvement topics. A cohort of Nurse Educators from across five campuses implement Dementia Careforce education and training to long-term care facilities in the South-Central region of the Commonwealth. If any faculty member is interested in this scholarship opportunity, please contact Janice Whitaker, RISE Nese CoN Project Director.

The LION Mobile Clinic

Jennifer Kowalkowski, PhD, MPH, RN

The LION Mobile Clinic Initiative is a cross-college collaboration designed to enhance the health and well-being of rural communities across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Our vision is to create a sustainable culture of health and well-being in Pennsylvania communities. The LION Mobile Clinic is a mobile platform through which students, faculty, and researchers enact our mission of improving access to healthcare, reducing food insecurity, and promoting economic growth for rural communities. With a focus on social determinants of health, the LION Mobile Clinic provides immersive educational opportunities for students across all disciplines, delivers cost-free person-centered health services in rural communities, and expands and diversifies the capacity of Penn State investigators through community engaged research. Through team science, we leverage the expertise and resources of Penn State University and researchers to establish and strengthen partnerships with community stakeholders to address the unique health needs of rural communities. Like the tripartite mission of Penn State University, the work supported through the LION Mobile Clinic Initiative integrates education, research, and service with the goal of advancing rural health equity and sustainable community development through sustainable, high-impact programming.