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Right-to-die law: Some say it should expand to Alzheimer's patients

The question of how to apply right-to-die laws to someone with dementia is a sticky one, said Donna Cohen, a psychologist at the ßÙßÇÂþ»­ who specializes in geriatric mental health and aging.

CBCS Faculty Receive Awards
Five CBCS faculty receive awards at the Faculty Honors and Awards Reception held on November 7, 2016. Carla Stover, Mental Health Law & Policy, received the Faculty Outstanding Research Achievement Award. Kyaien Connor, Mental Health Law & Policy; William Haley, School of Aging Studies; Manisha Joshi, School of Social Work; Andrea Smith, Communication Sciences & Disorders, received the Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award. Congratulations to our faculty awardees - they are awesome!

SAS Presentation and Round Table
Charlotta Nilsen, MS, will present "The Role of Midlife Work Stressors in Health and Aging" on Wednesday, November 9, 2016 at 12:00pm in MHC 1506. Charlotta is a Doctoral student at the Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. She holds a master's degree in gerontology and bachelor's degree in public health science with a focus on gender, epidemiology, and health economics. Charlotta's research focus is psychosocial work environment, in particular work stressors and a variety of coping mechanisms in late midlife related to health and mortality in older adulthood.

SAS Presentation and Round Table
Charlotta Nilsen, MS, will present "The Role of Midlife Work Stressors in Health and Aging" on Wednesday, November 9, 2016 at 12:00pm in MHC 1506. Charlotta is a Doctoral student at the Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. She holds a master's degree in gerontology and bachelor's degree in public health science with a focus on gender, epidemiology, and health economics. Charlotta's research focus is psychosocial work environment, in particular work stressors and a variety of coping mechanisms in late midlife related to health and mortality in older adulthood.

Congratulations to Dr. Haley as one of the 2016 Undergraduate Teaching Award winners.  The School of Aging Studies has recognized Dr. Haley’s excellence in undergraduate instruction and mentoring for many years.

Dr. Haley will receive his award during the USF Faculty Honors and Awards reception on Monday, November 7th.

Congratulations Bill!

SAS Presentation and Round Table
Charlotta Nilsen, MS, will present "The Role of Midlife Work Stressors in Health and Aging" on Wednesday, November 9, 2016 at 12:00pm in MHC 1506. Charlotta is a Doctoral student at the Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. She holds a master's degree in gerontology and bachelor's degree in public health science with a focus on gender, epidemiology, and health economics. Charlotta's research focus is psychosocial work environment, in particular work stressors and a variety of coping mechanisms in late midlife related to health and mortality in older adulthood.

Aging Studies Doctoral Candidate Accepted into CREATE Program at Florida A & M University, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Rosalyn Roker, a doctoral candidate in the School of Aging Studies, has been accepted into the Center for Research Education and Training Enhancement (CREATE) program at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU), College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, for Fall 2016-2018. CREATE is a national program, funded by the National Institutes of Health NIGMS Innovative Programs to Enhance Research Training (IPERT), for PhD students and early-career investigators seeking to increase the quality of their research education. CREATE's mission is to contribute in the creation of a robust and diverse workforce through effective and measurable career and professional development of its research fellows. Rosalyn's research focuses on disparities in mental health service utilization among community-residing older Blacks with serious mental illnesses. Drs. Victor Molinari (USF-School of Aging Studies) and Tamara Baker-Thomas (University of Kansas) are her co-major advisors

Watch for behavior changes for clues of dementia onset

A decade later, that reaction-time training suggested benefit: 12 percent of people who'd completed up to 10 hours had evidence of cognitive decline or dementia compared with 14 percent in the control group, said Dr. Jerri Edwards of the University of South Florida.

Diabetes linked to memory decline in older adults

We believe that the combination of diabetes and high blood sugar increases the chances of a number of health problems," said lead study author Colleen Pappas, an Aging researcher at the ßÙßÇÂþ»­ in Tampa.

New SAS Staff Assistant
The School of Aging Studies welcomes Jessica Wall as the department's new Staff Assistant. Jessica brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm from her former position in the CBCS Student Services Office. An alumni of USF, Jessica graduated Fall 2015 with a double major in Criminology and Sociology. She is currently pursuing an MSW degree here in our college.

MacManus to Speak as Part of the 2016-17 Distinguished Lectureship in Aging
Susan A. MacManus, PhD, will present "Florida's Changing Electorate: The Generational Divide in the 2016 Election" on Friday, October 7, 2016 at 10:30am in the USF College of Public Health Auditorium 1023B. Dr. MacManus is a Distinguished University Professor at USF in the Department of Government and International Affairs, and Florida's most-quoted political scientist. She directs the annual USF-Nielsen Sunshine State Survey - the state's most extensive annual public policy survey of adult Floridians (sunshinestatesurvey.org). She currently serves as the political analyst for ABC Action News. She has appeared on every major broadcast, cable television and radio network, along with interviews by major newspapers in Florida, the U.S. and abroad. Come listen, ask questions and enjoy this timely lecture.

Dementia breakthrough as risk could be cut significantly with simple brain training course

Professor Jerri Edwards, of the ßÙßÇÂþ»­, said: "The mistake some people make is thinking all brain training is the same.

Could this computer game delay Alzheimer's symptoms? New study suggests it could

Monday in Toronto, a research team led by Jerri Edwards at the University of South Florida announced that they had used the wealth of data from the ACTIVE study to ask a different and more provocative question: Could cognitive training delay the onset of dementia or cognitive decline related to Alzheimer's?

Aging Studies Associate Professor Presents Research Results at Alzheimer's Conference
A particular type of brain training can significantly and substantially reduce risk for dementia, said ßÙßÇÂþ»­ (USF) associate professor Jerri Edwards, PhD, in a presentation made yesterday in Toronto, Canada, at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference.

"This is the first time a cognitive intervention has been shown to protect against dementia in a large, randomized, controlled trial," said Dr. Edwards, a faculty member in the ßÙßÇÂþ»­ School of Aging Studies and an associate member of the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute. "Relatively small amounts of training resulted in up to a 48 percent decrease in the risk of dementia over the 10-year study period."

Behavior Changes Offer Clues That Dementia Could Be Brewing

Researchers examined records from 2,785 older adults who'd participated in a previous trial that compared three cognitive training strategies - to improve memory, reasoning or reaction times -with no intervention. A decade later, that reaction-time training suggested benefit: 12 percent of people who'd completed up to 10 hours had evidence of cognitive decline or dementia compared with 14 percent in the control group, said Dr. Jerri Edwards of the ßÙßÇÂþ»­.

CBCS Promotions/Tenure Awards
Congratulations to Ross Andel, PhD who was promoted to Professor in the School of Aging Studies; Ryan Henry, PhD, who was promoted to Instructor 2 in the Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Program; Kim Crosland, PhD and Tammy Jorgensen-Smith, PhD, who received tenure and promotion to Associate Professors, and Don Kincaid, EdD, who received tenure.

BCS Faculty Awarded Fellow Status from the Gerontological Society of America
Elizabeth Perkins, PhD, and Jerri Edwards, PhD, were awarded Fellow status through the Behavioral and Social Sciences Section of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA). GSA is the world's oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. They were approved by GSA's Council on May 10, 2016, after review and recommendations by the GSA Fellowship Committee. GSA fellowship, the highest class of membership, is an acknowledgment of outstanding and continuing work in gerontology by their peers in the field. They will be recognized at the 69th Annual Scientific Meeting, November 16-20, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Aging Studies Student Receives USF Fellowship Award
Congratulations to Adrian N.S. Badana, a doctoral student from the School of Aging Studies, who was chosen by the USF Office of Graduate Studies as a recipient of the competitive Graduate Student Success Fellowship. The award will support Adrian for three years. He currently works with Dr. William E. Haley and Dr. Kathryn Hyer in the School of Aging Studies and is contributing to the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program through USF Health. Adrian's research interest is care-giver access to and utilization of support services.

Being Super Busy May* Be Good For Your Brain

Psychologist Brent Small, director of the ßÙßÇÂþ»­'s School of Aging Studies, said the results are "in line with a large body of research suggesting that older adults who are actively engaged in cognitive stimulating activities are more likely to perform better on standard cognitive tasks."

Specialized training can improve older drivers' skills

Although vision issues, physical limitations and other health problems are associated with driving limitations, cognitive performance and speed of processing may be the strongest indicator of potential declining skills, according to study co-author Jerri Edwards, associate professor in USF's School of Aging Studies in the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences.

Using a kitchen to stir up food memories
, Sun Sentinel
MorseLife's open kitchen is an unusual amenity, said Kathryn Hyer, a University of South Florida professor of aging studies, but it likely will become increasingly popular as facilities for senior citizens move away from impersonal institutionalization into "person-centered care," with an emphasis on each senior's preferences and life goals.

Rodney Harrell: Building in long-term livability
Herald-Tribune
This week, AARP will join with The Patterson Foundation, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the Florida Policy Exchange Center on Aging at the University of South Florida, Sarasota County Government and the ßÙßÇÂþ»­ Sarasota-Manatee to explore how to make Sarasota County more livable.

CBCS Research Council Presents International Collaboration Travel Awards
Carla Stover, PhD, Mental Health Law & Policy - Dr. Stover will present a workshop entitled Fathers for change: A new approach to working with fathers with co-occurring substance abuse and IPV at the World Association of Infant Mental Health 15th World Conference in Prague, Czech Republic in May 2016.

Daniel Meng, MPH, PhD, School of Aging Studies - Dr. Meng will be presenting the Cost-Effectiveness of Psychological Treatments for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Decision Analytic Approach and establishing a research collaboration with the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute in Toronto, Canada in July/August 2016.

CBCS Student and Faculty Awards presented by the Faculty Council at the Assembly on April 8, 2016
Faculty Awards:
Outstanding Service Award: Steven Surrency, PhD, Communication Sciences & Disorders
This award is given to faculty who demonstrated at least three years of outstanding service to the Department, College, University, Profession, and/or the local community in the past year.
Outstanding Graduate Faculty Mentor Award: Jerri Edwards, PhD, School of Aging StudiesThis award recognizes faculty who demonstrate the highest level of quality in the mentoring of graduate students in teaching, research, and service.
Outstanding Research Accomplishment Award: David Eddins, PhD, Communication Sciences & DisordersThis award is given to faculty with at least three years of significant and continuous research productivity.
Student Awards:
Outstanding Graduate Research Award: Elise Valdes, School of Aging StudiesThis award is given to a graduate student who demonstrates at least two years of significant and continuous contributions to research.
Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award: Jackie Rivera, Mental Health Law & PolicyThis award is given to undergraduate students with at least two years of research productivity.

Louis Bherer, PhD, to Speak as Part of the 2016 Distinguished Lectureship in Aging
Louis Bherer, PhD, will present "Cognitive plasticity in older adults: effects of cognitive training and physical exercise" on Friday, April 22, 2016 at 10:30 am in the College of Public Health Auditorium 1023-B. Dr. Bherer is a full professor of Psychology and Scientific Director of the PERFORM Centre at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. He is also a researcher and laboratory director at the research center of the Institute universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal. Before joining Concordia University he held the CIHR Canada Research Chair on Aging and the Prevention of Cognitive Decline at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM). Bherer completed a Master's degree in Cognitive Psychology (Université Laval 1996), a PhD in Neuropsychology (Université de Montréal, 2002) and a post-doc in Aging and Neurosciences at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA). Bherer's research program is currently supported by the Canadian Institute of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation.

Study: Tampa's poorest residents living shorter lives compared to rest of country

Hongdao Meng, an associate professor in the ßÙßÇÂþ»­ School of Aging Studies, who teaches a course on the economics of aging, said he, too, found the study surprising, and had questions about some of the variables.

Aging Studies Professor to Participate in Mayor's Roundtable
Dr. Kathryn Hyer, PhD, MPP, professor, School of Aging Studies and director, Florida Policy Exchange Center on Aging will participate as a panelist at a roundtable event, " Florida Senior Care Crisis " on April 5 from 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM with Major Buckhorn. Dr. Hyer's topic will be "Trends in the Long Term Care industry that are impacting care delivery with a focus on staffing. Five additional panelists will speak on topics relevant to their respective experiences. Represented will be: a consumer of services, a homecare worker, a nursing home LPN, the Senior Connection Center and Hillsborough Aging Service. The purpose of this event is to bring caregivers, seniors, consumers, industry experts, advocates and elected officials together to better understand the issues in our long term care system and the impact of the issues on key stakeholders. The goal is to continue to shine a light on the need for reform in this industry.

Faith and Reason Symposium examines ethics of care for the elderly population

Keynote speaker is Debra Dobbs, an associate professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa, who will present "U.S. Exceptionalism and End of Life Care."

CBCS Faculty Receive Internal Grant Awards
Congratulations to the following two faculty members on receiving internal pilot awards;

Recipient: Kyaien Conner, Mental Health Law & Policy
Proposal Title: Enhancing the Evidence-Based Care Transitions Intervention to Reduce Hospital Readmissions and Facilitate Wellness Among Older Adults with Co-occurring Physical and Mental Illness.
Description: This pilot project will utilize randomized controlled trial methodology to examine the benefit of adding Peer Education supports to the Community Care Transitions Program (CTI), an evidence-based intervention designed to successfully transition older adults from the hospital to the community.

Recipient: Debra Dobbs, School of Aging Studies
Proposal Title: The Feasibility of Implementation of the Palliative Care Education in Assisted Living (PCEAL) Program
Description: This intervention development study addresses quality of end-of-life care for older adults in assisted living communities. The pilot study will test whether an intervention improves quality of care outcomes in a sample of residents from 4 assisting living facilities in Florida. The study is a collaboration with Community Hospice Northeast, Inc. in Jacksonville.

Victor Molinari, PhD, and his graduate student Rosalyn Roker from the School of Aging Studies were on the advisory panel of the National Alliance for Caregiving which in partnership with Mental Health America and the National Alliance on Mental Illness recently published a study on caregivers: "On Pins & Needles: Caregivers of adults with Mental Illness". This survey of 1600 caregivers providing care to adults with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) identified the challenges caregivers face. Caregivers of those with mental illness are especially vulnerable, with half of the care recipients living with their caregivers and half of the caregivers reporting that their loved one is financially dependent upon them. Over 60% say that caregiving has made their health worse and that they have less time for themselves than they would like, and half say they feel alone. More than 20% say they have trouble locating a mental health professional or even health care provider who is knowledgeable about mental health. Half of the caregivers say they have trouble arranging treatment for their loved one. The policy recommendations of this report include advocacy for integrating behavioral health assessment into all health care assessments, mental health treatment parity, accessibility of high quality services, assistance in navigating our fragmented health care system, inclusion of families in care plans, caregiver education regarding managing their own stress, and public awareness campaigns to decrease the stigma of mental illness. You can find the report at: .

Aging Studies Professor & Graduate Student Serve on Advisory Panel
Victor Molinari, PhD, and his graduate student Rosalyn Roker from the School of Aging Studies were on the advisory panel of the National Alliance for Caregiving which in partnership with Mental Health America and the National Alliance on Mental Illness recently published a study on caregivers: "On Pins & Needles: Caregivers of adults with Mental Illness". This survey of 1600 caregivers providing care to adults with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) identified the challenges caregivers face. Caregivers of those with mental illness are especially vulnerable, with half of the care recipients living with their caregivers and half of the caregivers reporting that their loved one is financially dependent upon them. Over 60% say that caregiving has made their health worse and that they have less time for themselves than they would like, and half say they feel alone. More than 20% say they have trouble locating a mental health professional or even health care provider who is knowledgeable about mental health. Half of the caregivers say they have trouble arranging treatment for their loved one. The policy recommendations of this report include advocacy for integrating behavioral health assessment into all health care assessments, mental health treatment parity, accessibility of high quality services, assistance in navigating our fragmented health care system, inclusion of families in care plans, caregiver education regarding managing their own stress, and public awareness campaigns to decrease the stigma of mental illness. You can find the report at:

Piano lessons may stop mental decline

Could playing the piano help to reduce the risk of mental decline in older people? Researchers at the ßÙßÇÂþ»­ are testing this in a trial with 100 healthy men and women aged 60 to 80, who will be given 16 weekly piano classes.

Genetics influences knee pain sensitivity in osteoarthritis patients

Also working on this project were Brent J. Small, professor of aging studies, University of South Florida;

Using a kitchen to stir up patients' food memories
Sun Sentinel
MorseLife's open kitchen is an unusual amenity, said Kathryn Hyer, a University of South Florida professor of aging studies, but it likely will become increasingly popular as facilities for senior citizens move away from impersonal institutionalization into "person-centered care," with an emphasis on each senior's preferences and life goals.

Aging Studies Professor Elected Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science
Cathy McEvoy, PhD, Professor in the School of Aging Studies, was elected to Fellow status in the Association for Psychological Science. Fellow status is awarded to APS members who have made sustained outstanding contributions to the science of psychology in the areas of research, teaching, service, and/or application.